The screening committee’s decision is not the final word. Today is the start of a three-month consultation before the committee meets again and gives its final advice to ministers in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland who will each have to make their own decision on prostate screening.
Wes Streeting, Health Secretary in England, responded saying he wants screening “provided this is backed by evidence” and that he would examine the evidence “thoroughly” ahead of the final advice in March.
Responses to the screening recommendations have been divided. Cancer Research UK said it was “good news” that screening was being considered for men with faulty BRCA genes and that they “support the committee’s conclusion” that screening could cause more harm than good for other groups of men.
Sir Chris Hoy said he was “extremely disappointed and saddened”, and described tests for men with BRCA variants as “a very small step forward” that was not enough.
“I know, first hand, that by sharing my story following my own diagnosis two years ago, many, many lives have been saved. Early screening and diagnosis saves lives,” he said.
Laura Kerby, the CEO of Prostate Cancer UK, said she was “deeply disappointed” and that the decision will “come as a blow” to tens of thousands of men.
Prostate Cancer Research said the decision was “a serious error that ignores modern evidence” and was a missed opportunity for Black men and those with a family history.
A huge clinical trial – called Transform – has now started to try to fill gaps in the evidence on how screening could be safely rolled out to other groups, including those with a family history and black men.
Prof Hashim Ahmed, who is leading the trial, said the recommendations were based on a “solid piece of work” and that while some men will be disappointed, he felt the right decision had been made.
“There is a small benefit… but the harms of diagnosing, testing and treating very much outweigh those benefits,” he said.
