Outrage as men are to be stripped of their right to a prostate cancer test with Lord Cameron describing it as a ‘backwards step’
New NHS guidance means men over 50 will no longer have automatic access to a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, with GPs instead deciding on a case-by-case basis whether a test is warranted. Former Prime Minister Lord Cameron, who was himself treated for prostate cancer after taking a PSA test, condemned the change as a "backwards step" and called for a proper, targeted screening programme for men at higher risk. Prostate Cancer Research described the move as a "shocking betrayal" that would lead to more late, incurable diagnoses.
The guidance was issued by the Department of Health and Social Care in a letter to health bodies without public consultation, and follows the Government's decision not to introduce widespread prostate cancer screening in favour of targeted testing for high-risk groups. It states that age alone will no longer classify men over 50 as high risk, despite the disease becoming more common with age, meaning GPs must now weigh up individual risk before authorising a test. Prostate cancer is the UK's most common cancer in men, causing around 63,000 diagnoses and 12,000 deaths a year, and the change comes amid heightened public awareness following high-profile cases such as Sir Chris Hoy and Jeremy Clarkson.
- Men over 50 lose automatic right to PSA prostate cancer tests
- GPs will now decide who gets tested, sparking criticism
- Lord Cameron calls it a "backwards step", urges targeted screening
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Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men in the UK. It develops in the prostate, a small gland below the bladder, and often causes no symptoms at first.
Testing may include a PSA blood test, which measures a substance made by the prostate. A high result can be caused by cancer but also by non-cancerous conditions, so it does not provide a definite diagnosis on its own.
In the UK, there is no national routine screening programme for prostate cancer. Men can discuss PSA testing with their GP, particularly if they have symptoms, a family history of the disease or are at higher risk because of their age or ethnicity.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Opponents of tighter limits argue that men should be able to discuss and obtain appropriate prostate cancer testing, particularly where age, family history, ethnicity or symptoms put them at elevated risk. They contend that reducing access could delay diagnosis, deepen existing inequalities in outcomes and undermine informed choice; safeguards against unnecessary treatment need not mean denying a potentially valuable test to people who want it after proper advice.
The case against
Supporters of a more selective approach argue that population screening and testing policies must be guided by evidence, not simply by the intuitive appeal of earlier detection. PSA tests can produce false positives and find slow-growing cancers that would never cause harm, exposing men to anxiety, invasive follow-up and treatment side effects; clearer eligibility criteria and shared decision-making may therefore protect patients while directing resources towards those most likely to benefit.