Depo-testosterone unavailable

Depo-testosterone unavailable

Depo-testosterone (testosterone cipionate) unavailable until September 2022

Due to Covid-19 disruptions, Pfizer, the company that makes the Depo-Testosterone injection, will be unable to supply Depo-Testosterone to New Zealand from late October 2021 until September 2022. This means that Depo-Testosterone will be unavailable in New Zealand during this time. 

Alternatives

There are alternatives to the Depo-Testosterone available which are also funded by Pharmac. Pharmac has advised clinicians ahead of time so they know to prescribe alternatives. You can find out more about this issue on the Pharmac website here.

What you can do

If you are currently taking Depo-Testosterone, we recommend you talk with your prescribing doctor as soon as possible about transitioning onto another form of testosterone. They should be able to advise on the best alternative for you. You can read more about the alternatives in our HRT guide, which you may also wish to share with your prescribing doctor.

Manage your prescriptions and test results

The online tool “Manage my health” may be useful for keeping track of changes. Once you register, it will access all the information available which is associated with your NHI number. You will be able to see the results of all your blood tests, your prescriptions, appointments, and other useful information. You need to use your legal name to register.

Testosterone Information

Testosterone Information

A visual guide to intramuscular testosterone injections, and a 101 infosheet on subcutaneous testosterone injections, which is now available in NZ.

Get safe injecting equipment

You can get needles, sharps bins, and alcohol swabs from the Needle Exchange Programme. If you return your used needles they will swap them for new ones free.

Intramuscular testosterone injections – tips for improving your comfort

Subcutaneous testosterone injections 101

Database Upgrade

Database Upgrade

Our database is now searchable by region as well as type of provider, and has a search function where you can type in a name or other search terms.

In 2020 we are working on offering online training and info to all clinics in NZ. They will then be added to the database, and you will be able to search for providers who have had the training and are using the national guidelines.

National Database Here.

Recommend your healthcare provider here.

List of services available through different DHBs here.

There is also additional info available in the main menu.

Health Navigator Pages Up

Health Navigator Pages Up

We’re delighted to announce that Health Navigator pages for transgender patients and their healthcare providers, with co-design from GMA, are now live!

Below is an excerpt from one of the pages. Visit healthnavigator.org.nz for the full experience.


Understanding gender diversity

When you are born, you are assigned a sex – male, female or indeterminate – depending on the appearance of your external genitalia. You may feel that the sex you were assigned is correct. This is called being ‘cisgender’. You may feel that the sex you were assigned is incorrect. This is called being ‘transgender’.

Key points

  1. Gender identity refers to an innate sense of who you are. This may be the same as or different from the sex that was assigned to you at birth. How you choose to express your gender identity varies from person to person.
  2. Gender dysphoria is a term used to describe uncomfortable or distressing feelings that some people experience because the sex they were assigned at birth does not match their gender. Read more about gender dysphoria.
  3. If you are transgender, or experience gender dysphoria, you may want to take steps to be recognised as your gender, rather than the sex you were assigned at birth. These steps may include changing your name, wearing clothes that affirm your gender, taking hormones or having surgeries.
  4. Sexual orientation is different to gender. It refers to who you are attracted to and may be described as heterosexual/straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, takataapui or using other terms.
  5. Gender diversity is a term to cover the range of possible gender identities, such as female, male, transgender, intersex, non-binary and takatāapui.
  6. If you are unsure about your gender, or your child is unsure about theirs, there is support available to help you.

What is gender identity?

When you are born, you are assigned a sex – male, female, or indeterminate – depending on the appearance of your external genitalia. You may feel that the sex you were assigned is correct. This is called being ‘cisgender’. You may feel that the sex you were assigned is incorrect. This is called being ‘transgender’.

A transgender person may identify as a binary gender such as a transgender woman (who was assigned ‘male’ at birth) or a transgender man (who was assigned ‘female’ at birth). Or a transgender person may identify as a non-binary gender – this includes any gender that is not male or female.

‘Intersex’ is an umbrella term that refers to people born with one or more of a range of variations in sex characteristics that fall outside of traditional conceptions of male or female bodies. For example, intersex people may have variations in their chromosomes, genitals or internal organs like testes or ovaries. If a person has an intersex condition, they may be cisgender (agreeing with the sex they were assigned at birth) or transgender (not agreeing with the sex they were assigned at birth), or they may simply identify both their sex and gender as intersex. It is important to not make assumptions about this, but instead to let people define their own experiences.

What is gender diversity?

Gender diversity refers to a diversity of genders in addition to cisgender people.

Some people think of gender as a spectrum that includes female and male at either end and other genders in between. However, other people may think of male and female as two letters in an alphabet of other genders. Defining non-binary genders is like defining all the other letters of the alphabet, in every language. Genders are so many and varied across different cultures and throughout history.

Some people have a consistent gender throughout their life, and for other people their gender changes. Some of the words that people might use to define or describe their gender, include aikāne, akava’ine, fa’afafine, faa’atama, fakafifine, fakaleiti, genderqueer, intersex, māhū, non-binary, palopa, takatāpui, tangata ira tāne, trans, transgender, transsexual, and whakawahine.

What are some of the issues faced by people who are gender diverse?

As a population or demographic, trans people experience significantly higher rates of mental health issues compared with the general population, such as depression and suicidality.

Research shows that the disparity in mental health outcomes is a result of experiencing elevated levels of minority stress, due to discrimination in education, housing, healthcare, employment, access to goods and services, participation in public social life and input into policy and legislative decisions which affect their lives. These factors also create significant barriers to healthcare in general.

How can I support transgender people?

It depends on your relationship to them. For example, an employer has legal obligations to provide a safe workplace, a clinician has a legal obligation to provide safe and appropriate healthcare, and for whānau, support is more about accepting, respecting, learning and caring. If this is the beginning of your journey to support transgender people, there are many resources available to assist you in learning.

The first step in any case, is to use the name and pronoun (eg, she/her, he/him, they/them) that the transgender person is comfortable with, and to respect their privacy by not telling others unless they give consent


Visit Health Navigator here for their list of links, as well as other pages related to transgender health, links to regional pathways, and resources.

health navigator10-38-59

Landmark Trans Health Report Shows Widespread Disparity

Landmark Trans Health Report Shows Widespread Disparity

Counting Ourselves, a national report on transgender health, has just been released.

The survey had 1,178 participants, from all regions of Aotearoa, ranging from 14 to 83 years old.

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The research, funded by the Health Research Council and with support from University of Waikato and Rule Foundation, found that trans people experience discrimination at more than double the rate of the general population, almost half of trans people had someone attempt to have sex with them against their will since age 13, and almost a third reported someone did have sex with them against their will since age 13. Participants reported high or very high levels of psychological distress at a rate nine times that of the general population. In the last 12 months, more than half had seriously considered suicide, and 12% had attempted suicide.

key findings

Medical

In the last 12 months, 13% of participants were asked unnecessary or invasive questions during a health visit

17% reported they had experienced reparative therapy (a professional had tried to stop them from being trans) [note: sometimes called “conversion therapy”]

36% avoided seeing a doctor to avoid being disrespected

Stigma, Discrimination, and Violence

67% had experienced discrimination at some point

44% had experienced discrimination in the last 12 months – this was more than double the rate for the general population (17%)

21% were bullied at school at least once a week, much higher than the general population (5%)

83% did not have the correct gender marker on their New Zealand birth certificate

32% reported someone had had sex with them against their will since they were 13

47% reported someone had attempted to have sex with them against their will since they were 13


Compared to the general population, participants were almost three times more likely to have put up with feeling cold (64%) and gone without fresh fruit or vegetables (51%) in order to reduce costs.

Distress and Suicide

71% reported high or very high psychological distress, compared with only 8% of the general population in Aotearoa New Zealand

56% had seriously thought about attempting suicide in the last 12 months

37% had attempted suicide at some point

12% had made a suicide attempt in the last 12 months

Participants who reported that someone had had sex with them against their will  were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (18%) than participants who did not report this (9%)

Participants who had experienced discrimination for being trans or non-binary were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (16%) than participants who did not report this discrimination (8%)

Participants’ rate of cannabis use in the last year (38%) was more than three times higher than the general population (12%)

Protective Factors

57% reported that most or all of their family supported them. Respondents supported by at least half of their family were almost half as likely to attempt suicide (9%).

62% were proud to be trans, 58% provided support to other trans people, and 56% felt connected with trans community.

Full Report

The Counting Ourselves website is here.

Quick download the Executive Summary (PDF)

Quick download Counting Ourselves_Full Report (PDF)

Media

Trans and Non-Binary Health and Wellbeing Report Reveals Severe Inequities

Kiwi Transgender and Non-binary People at Higher Risk of Suicide – Survey

Transgender and Non-binary People Suffer High Levels of Mental Health and Discrimination Issues, Report Finds

New Zealand Finds Nearly a Third of Transgender People Raped But Few Seek Help

How Our Health System Has Severely Failed Trans and Non-binary New Zealanders

Survey Shines a Light on Trans and Non-binary New Zealanders

Parliamentary Rainbow Network Welcomes Groundbreaking Report