Prostate Cancer UK welcomes approval of enzalutamide in Scotland

Charity vows to fight on for full UK availability 

Prostate Cancer UK has welcomed the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s (SMC) decision to recommend enzalutamide for use on the NHS in Scotland for men with incurable prostate cancer.

The news follows Prostate Cancer UK making powerful representations to the SMC about the drug, bolstered by the strongly worded views of over 160 people whose lives have been touched by the disease in Scotland.

Commenting on the news Head of Policy & Campaigns at Prostate Cancer UK, Drew Lindon, said: "This fantastic news is an absolute triumph for everyone in Scotland who joined us in calling for men with incurable prostate cancer to be able to get enzalutamide on the NHS. Now that the correct decision has been made, health boards must waste no time in ensuring that men who need enzalutamide can get it as soon as possible. Men with incurable prostate cancer should not face any further delays at a stage in their life when time is at an absolute premium.

"Delighted though we are for men who should shortly be able to access this drug in Scotland, our work will go on until the drug is formally approved for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Even once this outcome has been achieved there will still be too few treatment options available for men with this terrible disease. Prostate Cancer UK will continue to fund research and lead change to ensure more treatments emerge for the future. We can, and will, beat prostate cancer – and the approval of enzalutamide is but one small piece in a significantly larger jigsaw we are determined to complete."