The Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) has self-published its “2025 Guidelines for Gender Affirming Healthcare” on Friday. These guidelines were contracted by Health New Zealand, recommend puberty blockers be given from ages 10 or 11, and still feature the Health New Zealand logo, but, following the 19 November restriction on new prescriptions of puberty blockers no longer reflect government policy.

“This conduct is reckless and misleading”, says Jan Rivers, spokesperson for Genspect NZ. “It invites the public to believe the guidelines retain official standing when in fact they do not.”

By independently publishing guidelines that contradict current regulations, while retaining the Health New Zealand logo on the front cover, PATHA is simultaneously rejecting government authority and claiming government credibility for itself.

If PATHA disagrees with the regulation, it is entitled to advocate publicly. What it is not entitled to do is blur the line between activism and the exercise of safe, regulated healthcare. The result is confusion, an erosion of trust, and a deliberate ambiguity about clinician accountability.

“The Ministry of Health must now act,” says Rivers. “Does the Ministry or Health New Zealand endorse any version of PATHA’s “2025 Guidelines” — yes or no? If the guidelines are not endorsed, the Ministry must say so clearly and publicly.”

PATHA has crossed a line by presenting rejected guidance as though it remains government-sanctioned. The Ministry must now restore clarity before further damage is done.

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