Thousands of men with prostate cancer will be offered a life-extending drug on the NHS within weeks.

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

Around 2,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer 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 with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug, which stops the cancer spreading by starving the disease of the hormones it needs to grow, such as testosterone.

Research has shown that for these earlier stage patients, the survival rate after six years is improved – with trials showing that the proportion of men alive after six years on abiraterone was 86% compared to 77% on standard treatment (hormone therapy with or without radiotherapy).

NHS England has been able to give the green light to the drug for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll this out last year.

The NHS has set a target to save over £1 billion on clinically effective biosimilar drugs during this parliament – more than eight in 10 drugs the NHS now prescribes are lower cost biosimilar or generic drug – creating available funding for other treatments.

The NHS in England already commissions abiraterone, a drug 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.

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.”

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 new innovative targeted prostate cancer therapies, including the branded drugs enzalutamide, darolutamide, relugolix and apalutamide.

National Director of Specialised Commissioning at NHS England, John Stewart said: “I am delighted that we are today able to confirm that we can move ahead and offer this important treatment to thousands more men, which I hope comes as welcome news for those that could benefit from this drug, as well as their families and friends.

“I want to put on record my thanks to Prostate Cancer UK for their collaboration and partnership, supporting the health service to start offering this drug which could make a real difference to the lives of men with this type of prostate cancer.”

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 to the commissioning of abiraterone being confirmed, 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 as outcomes following clinical advice and enabled by long-term funding.