by Hayley Dixon, Telegraph
Professor’s social media posts backing JK Rowling were exposed after his concerns led to postponement of controversial study
The health official behind the pause of the NHS’s puberty blocker trial is blocked from any further involvement amid accusations of bias.
Prof Jacob George is said to have raised concerns over the trial after taking up his role as the chief medical and scientific officer at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) earlier this year.
The regulator’s subsequent intervention in the debate led to the Department of Health announcing that the experiment would be paused.
But Prof George is now removed from any further involvement after social media posts emerged of him praising JK Rowling and criticising people for the denial of “basic biological fact”.
The decision has led to a backlash, with critics saying it is unlawful and represents harassment of those who hold gender-critical views.
Maya Forstater, the chief executive of campaign group Sex Matters, wrote to the chief executive and the chairman of the MHRA on Sunday to warn: “This is a scandal that undermines trust in medical regulation in the UK.
“It is also unlawful, contrary to your legal duty not to discriminate against or harass employees on the basis of belief.”
She added: “We urge you to reinstate Prof George with a full apology to clear his name and to reassure your other staff that those expressing gender-critical views (or disagreeing with gender ideology) are not at risk of similar discrimination and harassment.”
The MHRA had approved a request from Kings College London (KCL) to carry out a trial on puberty blocker drugs in November last year.
The drugs, which stop the body’s natural development, were indefinitely banned by the Health Secretary after the Commission on Human Medicines said they posed “an unacceptable safety risk” to children.
The trial was due to start in April and involve some 226 children, some as young as eight, who believe they are transgender.