Texas demands drug companies turn over documents on 'puberty blocking' drugs for children

Endo International

24/03/2022 20:58

By Dan Whitcomb
    March 24 (Reuters) - The Texas attorney general on Thursday
ordered drugmakers Abbvie Inc  ABBV.N  and Endo International
 ENDP.O  to turn over materials related to the sale of puberty
blockers to children who believe they are transgender, part of
an investigation into their off-label use.
    The demand comes during a growing controversy over the use
of medication given to halt the development of puberty and
secondary sex characteristics in children as young as 8 who have
been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Transgender issues and
treatments have increasingly become part of a national debate in
America. 
    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said he is
investigating whether pharmaceutical companies are promoting
hormone therapies such as Supprelin LA and Lupron to children
and their parents without disclosing potential long-term
effects.
     "I will not allow Big Pharma to misleadingly promote these
drugs that may pose a high risk of serious physical and
psychological damage to Texas children who cannot yet fathom  or
consent to the potential long-term effects of such use," Paxton
said in a statement.
     "Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc manufactures and markets
Supprelin LA for the treatment of children with central
precocious puberty. The Company does not promote its medications
for off-label uses. That said, we intend to cooperate with this
investigation," a spokeswoman for Endo said.
    Representatives for Abbvie could not be reached for comment
by Reuters on Thursday.
    Paxton said that the medications Supprelin LA, which is
manufactured by Endo, and Lupron Depot, made by Abbvie, were
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other
medical conditions but were being used to halt puberty in
children with gender dysphoria.
    In a related development, Arizona and Oklahoma on Thursday
passed legislation that would ban transgender children born as
boys from participating in girls' sports.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2VR2LE  
    Those bills were approved after Lia Thomas, a transgender
swimmer for the University of Pennsylvania who was born male,
won the women's Division 1 NCAA championship in the 500-yard
freestyle race.

 (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
 ((Dan.Whitcomb@tr.com; 310-491-7290;))