Correspondence regarding Utah Department of Health and Human Services on medical transition for transgender minors: FOI release

Information requested

“In May 2025, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services released the most comprehensive scientific report to date on medical transition options for trans and gender diverse minors.

The report – which analysed data from 28,000 young transgender people – found that “policies to prevent access to and use of Gender-Affirming hormone therapy for treatment of Gender Dysphoria in paediatric patients cannot be justified based on the quantity or quality of medical science findings or concerns about potential regret in the future, and that high-quality guidelines are available to guide qualified providers in treating paediatric patients who meet diagnostic criteria.” They also found that “patients that were seen at the gender clinic before the age of 18 had a lower risk of suicide compared to those referred as an adult.”

Please provide any documents (including correspondence, briefing papers, internal assessments, or official meeting notes) held by the Scottish Government since May 2025 that reference, cite, or discuss the report published by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services on medical transition for transgender minors.

Please also provide any documents (including internal assessments, policy papers, or ministerial briefings) created since May 2025 concerning the ban on puberty blockers, including consideration of international evidence.”

Response

Regarding the first part of your query, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because, in our searches, we were not able to identify any internal consideration of the report by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services which you make reference to in your request.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Regarding your second query, I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested.

I attach a paper prepared by an academic researcher. This paper was not produced by the Scottish Government and does not necessarily reflect its positions. This document has been redacted under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA to protect individuals’ personal information.

A letter from the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland to healthcare professionals also falls within the scope of this part of your request. This letter is publicly available here. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact us again and we will send you a paper copy.

In this instance, we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections 28(1), 29(1)(a), 30(b)(ii) and 38(1)(b) are applicable to this information. The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained below.

• Section 28(1) of FOISA states that “information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially relations between any administration in the United Kingdom and any other such administration.”

• Section 29(1)(a) of FOISA states that “information held by the Scottish Administration is exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of government policy”.
• Section 30(b)(ii) states that “information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation”.
• Section 38(1)(b) protects individuals’ personal data.

Exemptions under sections 28(1), 29(1)(a) and 30(b)(ii) are subject to the “public interest test”. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption.

We recognise that there is some public interest in disclosing this information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high-quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions around a highly sensitive matter affecting a marginalised group. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to discuss those frankly, to fully understand their possible implications, both internally and with officials in other administrations within the United Kingdom. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on development, options and sensitivities surrounding specialist gender identity healthcare for children and young people will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development.

You may wish to note that the regulation for the licensing and safety of medicines is reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. You may, therefore, wish to approach the UK Government with your query. Information on how to do this is available here.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500486584 - Information Released - Annex

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