The method and logistics of circumventing the law are being promoted by Anne Health, a private trans clinic operating without medical oversight, which has been run since July 2024 by Susie Green, former CEO of the trans charity Mermaids. Doctors based in Dublin and Madrid are reportedly among those employed by the clinic, which dispenses the drugs in collaboration with “well-known pharmacies.”
Hormone blockers were banned in the UK in May 2024, following a review by Baroness Cass into transgender healthcare for under-18s. The review concluded that gender identity medicine was “built on shaky foundations” and that there was “extremely weak” evidence to support the use of puberty blockers in children diagnosed with gender identity disorder.
In messages seen by The Telegraph parents of children with gender dysphoria are advised on how to gain access to puberty blockers without breaking the law by having the banned drugs subscribed by EU-based doctors and then flying to the continent to receive the supplies. “The UK government cannot ban medical tourism for personal reasons,” Green tells the parents, reassuring them that as long as the drugs come from abroad, using them is not illegal.
Green has been accused of exploiting vulnerable children, while their pro-trans parents reportedly spend thousands of pounds to access the drugs through Anne Health. The clinic is expensive: it charges a £200 joining fee for “youth membership” (for those under 18), plus a £150 monthly membership fee under a 12-month contract.
Following The Telegraph’s investigation, the government said it would take action against what it called an “irresponsible and dangerous” practice. A spokesperson said officials are “aware of the worrying practices that have been raised and are looking into what more can be done to protect children and families from exploitation.”
