Overview
- Prostate Cancer Research proposes NHS checks for Black men and those with a family history aged 45–69, covering about 1.3 million people.
- The charity estimates annual costs of roughly £25 million, or about £18 per eligible person, requiring around five additional MRI scanners and 75 staff.
- The plan combines PSA blood tests with MRI and targeted biopsy, highlighting emerging tools such as AI-assisted MRI, reflex blood tests, polygenic risk scores and digital pathology to reduce unnecessary procedures.
- Cross-party figures including Rishi Sunak and David Lammy endorsed the plan at a parliamentary launch, arguing it could save lives and tackle inequalities.
- The UK National Screening Committee is re-reviewing its 2020 decision and is expected to issue advice soon, with some reports suggesting it may still question cost-effectiveness as cases and treatments rise.