Abiraterone: Prostate cancer drug to be accessible in UK from coming week

LONDON: The known prostate cancer drug, Abiraterone, will be accessible for patients in the coming week, after a campaign led by a patient and a charity across the UK.

NHS already offered Abiraterone in Scotland and Wales, which will be accessible to high-risk patients in England with the initial stage of cancer.

The treatment has been shown to minimise the risk of disease advancement and enhance survival rates, potentially saving hundreds of lives every year.

Giles Turner, who was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in March 2023, campaigned for broader access following paying £250 a month for the drug. “I was shocked and angered that my postcode meant I was denied free access.”

Turner described the NHS’s approval as the “culmination of all our determined and dogged efforts.”

Prostate Cancer UK projected that nearly 7,000 men annually are set to start treatment with this drug, with some 560 lives potentially saved.

The major decision comes after receiving results from the 2022 STAMPEDE trial that showed that abiraterone alongside standard care significantly reduced the risk of cancer and death by 40%.

National clinical director for cancer at NHS England, Prof Peter Johnson, stated, “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.”

“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,” Johnson added.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated the decision ensures patients gain “precious extra years of life.”

Prostate Cancer UK has now urged Northern Ireland to follow suit, ensuring fair access to all the patients who require the most across the UK.