Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the decision to reject the use of the drug Abiraterone to tackle prostate cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service in England on whether medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE published technology appraisal guidance in 2016 that recommends abiraterone for some patients with prostate cancer and is currently appraising abiraterone for the treatment of newly diagnosed high risk metastatic hormone-naive prostate cancer. NICE issued draft guidance for consultation for this appraisal in January 2021, which states that NICE is unable to recommend abiraterone as an effective use of NHS resources.

NICE will carefully consider the comments received in response to its latest draft guidance in developing its final recommendations. As NICE is an independent body it would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in the development of its recommendations.