Summary
A prostate cancer drug called abiraterone will soon be available to men in England through the National Health Service (NHS). This change, expected to save lives, comes after a campaign by a patient and a charity. The drug had already been available in Scotland and Wales, but not in England, until now.
Key Facts
- Abiraterone is a drug that helps stop prostate cancer from spreading by blocking hormones it needs to grow.
- The drug will soon be offered on the NHS in England to high-risk patients whose cancer has not spread yet.
- Abiraterone has been available in Scotland and Wales through the NHS since 2023.
- Campaigns by patients and charities helped push for its approval in England.
- NHS England expects about 7,000 men to start treatment annually, with 560 lives potentially saved each year.
- The drug became a generic medicine after its patent expired in October 2022, allowing more companies to produce it.
- The cost for patients like Giles Turner was high due to lack of NHS coverage, previously around £250 per month.
- Clinical trials showed abiraterone improves survival chances when used with standard care.
