Forty-seven percent of registered voters don’t think doctors should be allowed to prescribe puberty blockers to children under any circumstances, according to a new poll from The Center Square.
The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 29% of voters think doctors should be allowed to prescribe puberty blockers to children with parental consent. Without parental approval, that figure drops to 10%. Another 14% of Americans said they weren’t sure about the issue.
Democrats tended to be more open to the use of puberty blockers on minors than Republicans. Among Democrats, 41% said doctors should be allowed to prescribe puberty blockers with parental supervision. For Republicans, the figure was 16%.
Among Republicans, 68% said doctors should not be allowed to prescribe puberty blockers to children, regardless of how their parents feel.
Puberty blockers have become more visible as a way to help with gender transition, but they also have other uses. Treatment for precocious puberty – breast development before age 8 or testes growth before age 9 – is one such use. Doctors can also use puberty blockers along with growth hormones to address short stature.
The American Medical Association and other professional medical societies generally support the use of such drugs. Still, some states have passed legislation to stop the use of puberty blockers in children, especially with gender transition.
