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Emily Simonoff vs. transgender people

Emily Simonoff is an American-British psychiatrist. Simonoff participated in a symposium organized by anti-trans hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine in 2025. Simonoff had been named lead investigator of the UK NHS PATHWAYS clinical trial into puberty blockers for gender diverse youth.

Background

Emily Ann Simonoff was born in September 1955 to publishing and finance executive Eugene “Gene” Simonoff (1917–2012) and writer Elizabeth Sage. Emily has one sibling, Evan.

After graduating from elite private school Concord Academy, Simonoff earned a medical degree from Harvard University Medical School, then completed a psychiatric residency at the Maudesley Hospital in London.

Simonoff is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Neuropsychiatry Service, head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry department at the Institute of Psychiatry and lead for the CAMHS Clinical Academic Group at King’s Health Partners, King’s College London.

Simonoff married British lawyer Hugh Graham Collins in 1983.

2025 ESCAP meeting

In the summer of 2025, anti-trans hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) helped organize five symposia at the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) conference in Strasbourg, France, in collaboration with the ESCAP Policy Division:

Absoud’s and Simonoff’s abstract stated:

The research programme includes a longitudinal observational cohort study, a randomized controlled trial, a study of cognition and brain development and a qualitative exploration of young people’s experiences of making decisions about and starting puberty suppression. This is underpinned by an advisory group of CYP/adults with gender incongruence and parents who will advise on all aspects of the programme. We highlight the opportunities for, and value of, wider international collaboration with the possibility of accelerating our understanding of evidence-based care for gender-incongruence.

Abstract: Early in the present decade, concerns were raised about the type and range of care offered to children and young people (CYP) with gender incongruence. Multiple issues underpinned the concerns, including the increasingly large number presenting to services, changes in the demographic profile of patients, and the interventions that were offered. The Cass Review, commissioned to address these concerns, and the 7 systematic reviews accompanying its publication, highlighted the lack of robust evidence to support clinical practice. The PATHWAYS (Puberty suppression And Transitional Healthcare with Adaptive Youth Services) research programme combines a number of studies focussed on children and young people attending the new CYP Gender Services in England. Funded for 6 years, the programme’s aims are:

  • To determine the short/medium-term benefits and risks of GnRHa for puberty suppression, across
    psychosocial, physical, cognitive and brain outcomes, in CYP with gender incongruence.
  • To understand the care needs and experiences associated with using GnRHa or not through longitudinal
    quantitative and qualitative studies.
  • To involve CYP and their parents in designing, implementing and interpreting the research to ensure this
    programme addresses their needs.

References

McCool, Alice (Aprile 2, 2026). How the US Christian Right and Anti-Abortion Lobbyists are Reshaping NHS Policy. Byline Times https://bylinetimes.com/2026/04/02/how-the-us-christian-right-and-anti-abortion-lobbyists-are-reshaping-nhs-policy/

Webberley, Helen (December 3, 2025), The Pathways Study and Its Impact on Transgender Children. GenderGP https://www.gendergp.com/blog/the-pathways-study-transgender-children/

Hansford, Amelia (November 24, 2025). Young people to face ‘intrusive and distressing’ tests in NHS puberty blocker trial. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/11/24/nhs-puberty-blocker-trial-intrusive-criticism/

Roxby, Philippa (November 22, 2025). New puberty blockers trial to begin after UK ban. BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2k4jg0wkj4o

Clarke, Tom (November 22, 2025). Regulators approve first trials for puberty-blocking drugs in children since ban. Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/regulators-approve-first-trials-for-puberty-blocking-drugs-in-children-since-ban-13473682

Fox, Aine (February 27, 2025). £10m funding for children’s gender research including NHS puberty blocker trial. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nhs-children-b2705861.html

HealthDay (August 5, 2025). U.K. Begins Major Research Effort Into Trans Youth Health. U.S. News & World Report https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-08-05/u-k-begins-major-research-effort-into-trans-youth-health

Ring, Trudy (August 2, 2025). U.K. to begin major study on health of transgender youth. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/health/uk-major-study-transgender-youth

Monteil, Abby (August 1, 2025). A Year After Banning Puberty Blockers, the U.K. to Conduct Major Study on Trans Health Care. them https://www.them.us/story/uk-study-trans-youth-puberty-blockers-nhs

Staff report (March 2019). 2019 NIHR Senior Investigators appointments announced. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/ioppn/records/2019/march/2019-nihr-senior-investigators-appointments-announced

Staff report (November 19, 2012). Eugene Simonoff, 95. East Hampton Star https://www.easthamptonstar.com/archive/eugene-simonoff-95

Staff report (December 11, 1983). Dr. Emily Simonoff Weds H. G. Collins. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/11/style/dr-emily-simonoff-weds-h-g-collins.html

Anti-trans coverage

Eyte, Chris (February 13, 2026). UK puberty blockers trial for children draws criticism from evangelicals and LGB advocates. Christian Daily https://www.christiandaily.com/news/uk-puberty-blockers-trial-for-children-draws-criticism-from-evangelicals-and-lgb-advocates

Padgett, Alice (November 22, 2025). Children with gender dysphoria ‘could remain on puberty blockers after study’ despite ban. LBC News https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/puberty-blockers-study-gender-dysphoria-5HjdNDc_2/

Cohen, Deborah (December 18, 2025). “This is why the trial is necessary”: experts behind the puberty blockers study respond to mounting opposition. BMJ, 391, r2660. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r2660

Staff report (November 28, 2025). Autistic children and the puberty blockers trial. Transgender Trend https://www.transgendertrend.com/autistic-children-puberty-blockers-trial/

Davis, Nicola (November 22, 2025). Two UK clinical trials to assess impact of puberty blockers in young people. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/nov/22/two-uk-clinical-trials-to-assess-impact-of-puberty-blockers-in-young-people

Ivens, Elizabeth (November 22, 2025). ‘Lambs to the slaughter’: Anger as under-16s put on puberty blocker trial. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15316005/Professor-proud-NHS-plan-children-puberty-blockers.html

Hayward, Eleanor (November 21, 2025). Children as young as 10 to be given puberty blockers in NHS trial. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/children-puberty-blockers-nhs-lm53zmrzw

Ryan, Benjamin (November 21, 2025). UK to Launch Long-Awaited Puberty Blocker Trial. Hazard Ratio https://benryan.substack.com/p/uks-nhs-to-launch-long-awaited-puberty

Lane, Bernard (October 19, 2025). Don’t prejudge a trial. Gender Clinic News https://www.genderclinicnews.com/p/dont-prejudge-a-trial

Helyar, Sinéad; Bell, David; Ryan, Hannah (September 20, 2025). Can a clinical trial of puberty blockers in children experiencing gender distress be carried out ethically? Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender https://can-sg.org/2025/09/20/can-a-clinical-trial-of-puberty-blockers-in-children-experiencing-gender-distress-be-carried-out-ethically/

Staff report (August 29, 2025). No minimum age for children in ‘biggest ever’ study on trans treatment. The Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/news/no-minimum-age-for-children-in-biggest-ever-study-on-trans-treatment/

Bowie, Kate (August 1, 2025). Transgender youth health and wellbeing to be monitored in major study. BMJ, 390, r1620. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r1620

Parkin, Elizabeth (July 31, 2025). World’s biggest trans children study to include British toddlers. GBNews https://www.gbnews.com/news/trans-children-study-include-british-toddlers

Ryan, Benjamin (July 30, 2025). England to Launch Large Observational Study Of Gender-Incongruent Kids. Hazard Ratio https://benryan.substack.com/p/england-to-launch-large-observational

Hayward, Eleanor (July 29, 2025). Health of transgender children tracked for years in major study: Researchers will investigate key aspects of children’s health and wellbeing, including school performance, relationships, and conditions such as ADHD or autism. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/health-transgender-children-study-mt0vkbs2j

Feinmann, Jane (March 12, 2025). Puberty blockers: Former Tavistock clinicians say they wouldn’t refer patients to NHS trial. BMJ, r504. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r504

Cutler, Georgina (February 25, 2025). NHS to start offering puberty blockers as part of £10m clinical trial despite warnings of “unethical experiment on children.” GB News https://www.gbnews.com/news/nhs-puberty-blockers-clinical-trial-warnings-unethical-experiment

UK Commission on Human Medicines (November 13, 2024). Commission on Human Medicines report on proposed permanent order to restrict the sale and supply of GnRH agonists in children and young people under 18 years of age for the purpose of puberty suppression in gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chms-report-on-proposed-changes-to-the-availability-of-puberty-blockers/commission-on-human-medicines-report-on-proposed-permanent-order-to-restrict-the-sale-and-supply-of-gnrh-agonists-in-children-and-young-people-under-1

NHS England (2024). Consultation report for the clinical policy on puberty suppressing hormones for children and adolescents who have gender incongruence / gender dysphoria. [Automatically downloading Word document] https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/psh-consultation-report-11-march-2024.docx

Resources

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

King’s College London (kcl.ac.uk)

South London and Maudley NHS Foundation Trust (slam.nhs.uk)

  • Emily Simonoff
  • slam.nhs.uk/national-services/our-experts/prof-emily-simonoff [archive]

National Institute for Health and Care Research (nihr.ac.uk)