In a significant move, the National Health Service (NHS) in England has expanded access to the prostate cancer drug abiraterone, a decision expected to save thousands of lives. This landmark decision comes after years of campaigning by patient advocates and healthcare professionals.
Abiraterone, which starves cancer cells of the hormones they need to grow, will now be offered to men who are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer and whose disease has not spread beyond the prostate. Previously, the drug was only available to patients with advanced prostate cancer that had spread to other parts of the body.
This disparity in access had created a postcode lottery, with patients in Scotland and Wales already enjoying wider prescription of the drug. The NHS has now rectified this issue, ensuring more equitable care across England.
“This decision is a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will now be saved,” said Amy Rylance, an assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK. “Until now, men in England have found themselves in an impossible situation, with devastating consequences.”
According to NHS estimates, the rollout of abiraterone in England will mean that about 8,000 men will be eligible for the drug each year. Within this group, it is expected to reduce deaths from prostate cancer from around 1,900 to fewer than 1,000.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, affecting one in eight in the UK, with around 55,300 new diagnoses and 12,200 deaths per year.
“Thousands of men could kick-start their year with the news that they will have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives,” said Professor Peter Johnson, the national clinical director at NHS England. “The NHS will continue to work hard to offer people the most effective and evidence-based treatments, with several new prostate cancer drugs rolled out over the last five years.”
The decision has been welcomed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who said the move “significantly improves survival rates and can give patients precious extra years of life.”
This expansion of access to abiraterone is a significant step forward in the fight against prostate cancer, providing new hope and opportunity for thousands of men and their families.
