Youngsters under the age of 16 will reportedly have to undergo 13½ hours of medical assessments before being able to access trans healthcare under a new trial for puberty blockers. Details of the NHS-commissioned study of the effectiveness of puberty-blocking medication were announced over the weekend. Researchers from King's College London said the two-year Pathways trial would analyse the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of about 220 young teenagers. However, campaigners have described the trial as "intrusive and distressing"...

Details of a new UK clinical trial to assess the risks and benefits of puberty-blocking drugs in children who question their gender have been announced. It follows the banning of the drugs for gender treatment last year after a major review raised concerns about the lack of clinical evidence over their safety for under-18s. Researchers from King's College London say the trial will involve around 220 children under the age of 16 who are going through puberty, and will examine the impact of the drugs on their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Some clinicians and campaigners question whether the trial is ethical...

More than a hundred children as young as ten years old will be subjected to clinical trials of transgender drugs in Britain, despite the government blocking puberty blockers for general use. Last year, a review from leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass found that transgender medical practices were "built on shaky foundations" and that Britain's socialised healthcare system should not hand out puberty-blocking drugs to minors over safety concerns. The left-wing Labour Party government agreed and barred the practice for children...

The sound of musical discovery. The post The one band Eddie Vedder called “our Beatles” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

A pioneering figure... The post The guitarist John Mayer claims Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton wouldn’t exist without first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Mitchell's saving grace. The post The strange story of the pop song that saved Joni Mitchell: “I changed my mind about quitting” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.