Thousands of men with prostate cancer are set to benefit from access to a life‑extending drug on the NHS, after NHS England confirmed it will widen availability of abiraterone to patients whose cancer has not yet spread.
For the first time, eligible patients in England with earlier‑stage prostate cancer will be offered the treatment within weeks, marking a major expansion in access. Around 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months are expected to receive abiraterone if it is clinically appropriate, with a further 7,000 men each year becoming eligible following diagnosis.
Abiraterone works by blocking the production of hormones such as testosterone, which prostate cancer cells use to grow and spread. By starving the cancer of these hormones, the drug significantly reduces the risk of disease progression.
Clinical trials have shown clear survival benefits for men with prostate cancer that has not spread. Evidence indicates that 86% of patients treated with abiraterone were alive after six years, compared with 77% of those receiving standard treatment, such as hormone therapy with or without radiotherapy.
NHS England has been able to approve wider rollout of the drug after securing better value for money in how treatments are purchased and delivered. Abiraterone is now available as a lower‑cost generic medicine, freeing up funding to treat more patients.
The drug has already been provided on the NHS for patients with advanced prostate cancer, following a commissioning policy introduced in December 2024—almost a year before NICE issued positive guidance in November 2025. NHS England says the earlier rollout reflects its ambition to ensure patients can benefit from proven treatments as quickly as possible.
The move forms part of a broader strategy to improve access to effective cancer therapies while managing costs. More than 80% of medicines prescribed by the NHS are now generic or biosimilar, helping the health service meet its target of saving over £1 billion on medicines during this Parliament—money that can be reinvested in patient care.
In the past five years, the NHS in England has also commissioned several innovative targeted prostate cancer treatments, including enzalutamide, darolutamide, relugolix and apalutamide, significantly expanding options for patients at different stages of the disease.
Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, commented:
“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.”
NHS England has worked closely with campaign groups such as Prostate Cancer UK to support and shape the rollout of abiraterone, ensuring timely access for men who stand to benefit most.
Alongside the decision on prostate cancer treatment, NHS England has also confirmed it will fund blood plasma therapy for people with the rare condition Clarkson’s Syndrome, as well as genetic testing for parents with pre‑existing conditions undergoing IVF, following clinical advice and supported by long‑term NHS funding.
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