Experts warn self-medicating with illicit cross sex hormones and puberty blockers carries serious health risks, including potentially fatal contamination and dosing errors.
Trans activists are advising young people on how to self-medicate using cross sex hormones.
It comes amid concerns of a booming black market in illegal supplies in Scotland via online suppliers and street dealers.
Experts warn self-medicating with illicit cross sex hormones and puberty blockers carries serious health risks, including potentially fatal contamination and dosing errors.
But we can reveal a group called Trans Harm Reduction (THR) recently held a “Self‑Med 101” workshop in Glasgow.
It also offers help with “accessing injecting supplies for trans people who are self-medicating in Ireland and Scotland”.
Scottish Tory shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “It’s frankly terrifying that vulnerable young people could be encouraged to use black market puberty blockers. This would put lives at risk, and anyone involved in pushing these illicit medications must be investigated.”
A Scottish GP, who didn’t want to be named, added: “To have organisations that facilitate self-medicalisation with no clinical oversight is dangerous.
“The greatest harm is in the prescribing of cross sex hormones. These are used off licence and there is mounting evidence of the increased risk of irreversible harms, which include stroke, ischaemic heart disease and early mortality.”
The Glasgow workshop covered “the basics of self-medicating from costs to dosages to how to do things safely”.
The independent Cass Review in 2024 said there was no “good evidence” puberty blockers were safe or effective.
Dr Hillary Cass argued a supervised trial would be preferable to kids buying medication from the dark web, warning it could otherwise enable “charlatans” to sell drugs.
THR insists “trans people will continue to self-medicate regardless of whether they can access support from medical professionals”.
It operates a healthcare fund to cover costs associated with “self-medicating for trans people in Ireland and Scotland”, such as paying for GP visits, blood tests and injecting supplies.
It warns those self-medicating must seek “blood tests at regular intervals” due to the complex health risks involved and maintain a “private list of GPs who will do blood tests for those self-medicating”.
A police spokesperson said: “Emerging drug trends are monitored and we will act proportionately to any increase in the prevalence or circulation of new or existing drug types.”
Susan Smith of campaign group For Women Scotland said: “We are shocked this group is operating quite openly. We note there was no age limit for attendance at this event which will worry parents of vulnerable youngsters who have good reason for ensuring medical care is robust and monitored.”