The site, maintained by a small anonymous group of developers, had become one of the most widely used online resources for people seeking so-called “DIY” hormone therapy in the UK.

“DIY” HRT refers to the practice of obtaining and taking hormone medication without direct medical supervision, often through online pharmacies or overseas suppliers.

While the practice is controversial, it is not illegal in the UK to possess non-controlled hormones for personal use without a prescription.

The website provided detailed guidance on “feminising” and “masculinising” hormone treatments, including information about potential side effects and safety considerations.

It also hosted a regularly updated directory of online vendors that were said to supply the medications.

The developers appear to have closed the site abruptly earlier this week, with no formal explanation published, Pink News reports.

Visitors to the page were instead met with a notice indicating that the project was no longer accepting donations.

The closure followed recent articles from conservative and gender-critical outlets that drew attention to websites providing information about DIY hormone access.

One such report from the Daily Signal, highlighted HRT Cafe alongside other online resources, and claimed that some overseas pharmacies may allow users to purchase hormones without providing a prescription or verifying their age.

Critics have argued that such systems risk enabling under-age users or vulnerable patients to obtain powerful medication without medical oversight.

A report by the medical watchdog group Do No Harm warned that online marketplaces and “home-brewed” hormone networks could allow people to obtain cross-sex hormones “with alarming ease”.

Dr Kurt Miceli, the organisation’s chief medical officer, said the report had uncovered “a multitude of troubling pathways that appear to bypass basic safeguards and regulatory oversight”.

He added that “gender-confused kids should not be able to purchase potent, experimental medications with just a few simple clicks”.

Campaigners and clinicians who oppose DIY prescribing argue that hormone therapy carries significant risks if not properly monitored by doctors.

However, many transgender people say self-medicating has become a last resort because of long waiting times for gender identity services.

Accessing gender-affirming care through the NHS can take years, while private treatment can cost hundreds of pounds each month.

A 2022 report by the advocacy group TransActual estimated that roughly a quarter of transgender adults in the UK had self-medicated at some stage during their transition.

Samathy, a 29-year-old transgender woman in Britain, previously said she turned to self-medication after her GP withdrew her prescription without warning.

She said: “I’d much rather enjoy being treated for my NHS-diagnosed medical condition by an NHS doctor.

“History shows us that removing people’s access to healthcare does not remove the need for it.”

Other healthcare professionals have suggested that some doctors are reluctant to prescribe hormones due to uncertainty about specialist guidance.

Clinical psychologist Dr Aidan Kelly previously criticised the claim that GPs lack the expertise to manage such prescriptions.

He said: “GPs have expertise in prescribing hormones, they do it for cis people all the time.”

The disappearance of HRT Cafe also comes as NHS England has begun an evidence review examining the effects of hormone treatments for transgender adults, prompting concerns among campaigners that access to care could face further scrutiny.