Parliamentary attention
Since 2023, the House of Representatives has seen growing criticism of the scientific basis of gender-affirming care for young people. Various parties have submitted written questions about the implications of the Cass Review, the position of puberty blockers, care after detransition and the consequences of self-identification. In 2024, the House called for research into the outcomes of treatment for young people in the Netherlands, after which the Ministry asked the Health Council for advice. That advice was published on 30 June 2026.
The February 2024 motions
In February 2024, the House of Representatives held its first extensive debate on the medical treatment of young people with gender dysphoria. On 15 February 2024, Member of Parliament Rosanne Hertzberger submitted a motion (Parliamentary Paper 31 016, no. 370). She asked the government to investigate the physical and psychological health of young people following treatment under the Dutch Protocol, compared with young people in European countries where different care is provided. The House adopted the motion. A second motion, submitted by Diederik van Dijk and Mirjam Bikker, called for the caution shown in the United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden to be taken into account in the further development of the quality standard. See the timeline entry House of Representatives calls for research.
The Cass Review in Parliament
When the final report of the Cass Review was published in April 2024, the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Sport asked the government for a response. It came on 4 June 2024. On 17 July 2024, the committee submitted written questions about it, which the minister answered on 8 November 2024. In the meantime, on 13 May 2024, the Ministry had asked the Health Council for advice on transgender care for young people.
The Health Council’s advice
The Health Council issued its advice on 30 June 2026 and concluded that care for young people in the Netherlands is carefully organised. This means that, unlike for a long time, an independent Dutch assessment has now been carried out. Its conclusion differs from that of the Cass Review. The Council states that only limited data are available on adverse effects, but sees no reason on that basis not to offer the treatment. The advice is not binding: the minister decides what to do with it and is accountable to the House. See the Health Council’s advice.
Reactions to the advice
Hertzberger, now a former Member of Parliament, said on the EO radio programme Dit is de dag that she remains concerned. According to her, you would rather make a mistake by taking no action than by taking action, and puberty blockers are not a pause button. Professor of child and adolescent psychiatry Robert Vermeiren said the report had reassured him, adding that caution will always remain necessary.
Gender registration and capacity
The House also considered gender registration. It debated the bill to abolish the expert declaration on 27 and 28 September 2022, but did not vote on it; see the archive entry on the parliamentary debate on the Transgender Act. After two calls from the House, the government announced on 2 July 2025 that it was withdrawing the proposal; see the article on the withdrawn self-identification bill and the archive entry on the bill to amend gender registration. A legal discussion of the proposal can be found on zelfidentificatie.nl, on the page about the 2021 bill. Regarding waiting lists, Members of Parliament Westerveld and Slagt-Tichelman submitted questions on 28 January 2025 after it became known that Amsterdam UMC had temporarily stopped inviting new adult patients. Minister Agema responded on 7 March 2025; see the archive entry on the Amsterdam UMC gender clinic.