Thousands of men in England to be offered life-extending prostate cancer drug

Thousands of men in England will get the prostate cancer drug abiraterone on the NHS within weeks.

For the first time, patients in England whose cancer has not spread will be able to receive abiraterone as the health service widens access to the treatment.

Around 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months whose cancer has not spread will get access to the treatment if it is of clinical benefit.

An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed each year and will be eligible for the drug.

The national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, professor Peter Johnson, said: “For thousands of men with prostate cancer, this treatment option could be life-changing by helping keep their cancer at bay for several years.

“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 over the last five years.”

Abiraterone is a hormone-blocking tablet that helps stop prostate cancer spreading by cutting off the testosterone it needs to grow.

Research has shown that for these earlier-stage patients, survival after six years is improved, with trials showing 86 per cent of men alive after six years on abiraterone compared with 77 per cent on standard treatment (hormone therapy with or without radiotherapy).

NHS England has been able to expand access to the drug for thousands more eligible patients by securing better-value supply, following clinical advice to roll this out last year.

The NHS has set a target to save over £1bn on clinically effective biosimilar drugs during this parliament. Biosimilars are approved, lower-cost versions of biological medicines.

More than eight in 10 drugs the NHS now prescribes are lower-cost biosimilar or generic medicines, creating funding for other treatments.

The NHS in England already commissions abiraterone, now available as a lower-cost generic medicine, for advanced prostate cancer, having introduced a policy to commission the treatment in December 2024, nearly one year ahead of positive NICE guidance recommending it in November 2025.

NHS England has worked with campaigners including Prostate Cancer UK to secure this rollout.

In the past five years alone, the NHS in England has also commissioned targeted prostate cancer therapies, including the branded drugs enzalutamide, darolutamide, relugolix and apalutamide.

The health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “When you’re living with prostate cancer, every day with your loved ones matters.

“I’m delighted the NHS have taken the steps needed to make the drug available, giving thousands of men access to abiraterone, a treatment that significantly improves survival rates and can give patients precious extra years of life.

“We’re backing the best clinical evidence, making smart funding decisions, and ensuring patients get the care they need when they need it most.

“We’re serious about improving prostate cancer outcomes, treating it faster and giving loved ones more time together.”

In parallel with confirming abiraterone’s commissioning, NHS England will also offer blood plasma treatment for people with the rare condition Clarkson’s Syndrome, and genetic testing for parents with pre-existing conditions going through IVF, following clinical advice and enabled by long-term funding.