The prostate cancer drug Abiraterone will become accessible to patients in England in the coming week, following a campaign led by a patient and a charity across the UK.
The NHS had already been offering Abiraterone in Scotland and Wales, and it will now be available to high-risk patients in England at an early stage of the disease. The treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer progression and improve survival rates, potentially saving hundreds of lives each year.
Giles Turner, who was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in March 2023, campaigned for wider access after paying £250 a month for the drug himself. “I was shocked and angered that my postcode meant I was denied free access,” he said. Turner described the NHS approval as the “culmination of all our determined and dogged efforts.”
Prostate Cancer UK estimates that nearly 7,000 men a year will begin treatment with Abiraterone, with around 560 lives potentially saved annually.
The decision follows results from the 2022 STAMPEDE trial, which showed that adding Abiraterone to standard care reduced the risk of cancer progression and death by 40 per cent.
NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “The life-extending treatment available on the NHS within weeks will mean thousands of men can kick-start their year with the news that they will have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives.”
He added that the NHS would continue to offer the most effective, evidence-based treatments, noting that several new prostate cancer drugs have been rolled out over the past five years.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the move would give patients “precious extra years of life.”
Prostate Cancer UK has now called on Northern Ireland to follow suit to ensure fair access for all patients across the UK who need the drug most.
