Prostate Cancer Drug to Be Available on NHS in England

A prostate cancer treatment that can extend lives will soon be accessible to many men in England, following advocacy from a patient and a charity.

Abiraterone has been available through the NHS in Scotland and Wales since 2023, but previously it was limited in England and Northern Ireland, offered only in dire cases.

The drug is already used for patients with very advanced prostate cancer, where the disease has spread. Now, it will also be available for high-risk patients whose cancer hasn’t metastasized yet, potentially saving numerous lives.

Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, called the decision a “momentous and life-saving victory” for the thousands who will benefit. She also commended the BBC for maintaining awareness of the issue over the years.

According to the charity, an estimated 7,000 men per year will begin the treatment, with around 1,470 avoiding the news that their cancer has worsened. They project that approximately 560 lives could be saved.

The NHS announced that the drug will be available in the coming weeks, with around 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months able to access the treatment if it’s deemed clinically beneficial. Abiraterone works by depriving cancer cells of hormones necessary for their growth.

Giles Turner from Brighton was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in March 2023. He reached out to BBC News later that year after realizing that abiraterone was accessible in Scotland and Wales but not in his region.

Turner expressed shock and anger over the barriers based on geographic location, stating, “I was denied free access to a treatment that could halve my risk of dying.” He opted to pay out-of-pocket for the treatment, which cost him £250 a month, feeling fortunate yet outraged for those who couldn’t afford it.

He subsequently campaigned for a policy change. At one point, NHS England mentioned a review was underway for broader use of the drug. However, by the following year, they communicated to Prostate Cancer UK that funding was unavailable—a message reiterated by ministers in early 2025.

Reflecting on the recent development, Turner remarked, “Today’s wonderful news is the culmination of all our determined and dogged efforts.” He expressed happiness that more men would now have fair access to effective treatment but also conveyed frustration over the lengthy delays.

Prostate Cancer UK’s assertion about the drug’s potential life-extending properties stems from the findings of a 2022 trial called STAMPEDE. The trial indicated that men receiving the drug along with standard care had improved survival rates.

The Institute of Cancer Research reported that two years on abiraterone halved the likelihood of cancer recurrence and decreased mortality risk by 40%. There had been significant disappointment among researchers when the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) did not approve the drug for newly diagnosed patients initially.

For NICE and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to consider extending a drug’s use, detailed applications are required, which can be time-consuming. Abiraterone lost its patent protection in October 2022, meaning other manufacturers can now produce it, which limited the incentive for companies to seek wider approval.

While Scotland and Wales figured out how to provide the drug through existing protocols, England did not adapt similarly. NHS England cited savings from other medications as a reason they could now support the drug’s expanded accessibility.

Prof. Peter Johnson, the national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, noted that this life-extending treatment would enable thousands of men to start the year with the hope of longer, healthier lives. He reassured that the NHS is committed to offering effective, evidence-based treatments, having introduced several new prostate cancer drugs in recent years.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the importance of every moment spent with loved ones for those living with prostate cancer, expressing delight over the NHS’s decision. He highlighted that abiraterone significantly improves survival rates, granting patients precious additional years.

In response to the news, Prof. Gert Attard, co-lead of the STAMPEDE trial, expressed that this is a significant moment for patients, affirming the research’s findings that earlier access to abiraterone can save lives. Prostate Cancer UK is now working to engage decision-makers in Northern Ireland, hoping to expedite similar access there, while the Stormont government has yet to comment on modifying abiraterone’s prescription process.