Un-paywalled: Youth gender medicine & the Cass Review

Un-paywalled: Youth gender medicine & the Cass Review

Author: Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie December 31, 2024 Duration: 1:15:24
Science Fictions
ScienceTechnology

This week, as a gift for New Year’s Eve, we’re opening up a previously-paywalled episode so that everyone can listen. It’s our episode from April 2024 on “Youth gender medicine & the Cass Review”. Since the show notes were previously behind the paywall, they’re copied below.

If you’d like to listen to all our paywalled episodes—which are of course ad-free, like this one—you can subscribe by visiting thestudiesshowpod.com.

Normal service will be resumed next week. Happy New Year!

Show notes

* The Cass Review’s final report

* List of systematic reviews from University of York researchers that were commissioned by the Cass Review

* Hannah Barnes on why the Tavistock gender identity clinic was forced to close

* VICE interview with a Tavistock doctor, including information on patient numbers

* Original Dutch single-case study on puberty blockers

* Somewhat larger Dutch study of puberty blockers from 2011

* The “Early Intervention” study from England (not published until 2021)

* Article that’s critical of the “cis-supremacy” in the Cass Review

* BMJ editorial on the Cass Review

* Billy Bragg claims that the Cass Review only included 2 studies out of 102

* Owen Jones’s video where he claims studies were “arbitrarily” excluded from the report

* Fact-checking post from Benjamin Ryan, covering some of the criticisms of the Cass Report

* Hilary Cass interviewed by The Times

* Episode of BBC More or Less that addresses some of the criticisms

* 2020 study on the small proportion of medical treatments where there’s strong evidence

* More recent (2022) study by the same authors finding an even more depressing picture: “More than 9 in 10 healthcare interventions studied within recent Cochrane Reviews are not supported by high-quality evidence, and harms are under-reported”

* The book Medical Nihilism

* The BMJ review of the book, quoted in the episode

Credits

The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.com

Every week, Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie pull apart the biggest arguments and most confusing claims making headlines. Science Fictions isn't just about celebrating breakthroughs; it's a necessary dive into the messy, contested, and often surprising realities of how science actually works. You'll hear them unpack heated debates, examine questionable studies, and explore why even solid research can sometimes lead to public confusion. This podcast serves as a guide through the noise, separating compelling evidence from overblown narratives. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply informed friends who aren't afraid to ask tough questions, offering clarity on topics that matter. For anyone curious about the stories behind the science headlines, this is an essential listen. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that goes beyond the press release, grounded in a genuine fascination with how we know what we know.
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