Sir Chris Hoy and David Cameron slam NHS decision to block national prostate cancer screening
The ruling, carried out by the National Screening Committee, means testing for men aged 45 to 70 will not be rolled out, unless the Government decides to intervene
Sir Chris Hoy and Lord Cameron are among the famous faces who have spoken out in anger after a national screening programme for male prostate cancer was denied by the NHS.
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The ruling, carried out by the National Screening Committee, means testing for men aged 45 to 70 will not be rolled out, unless the Government decides to intervene.
Instead, advisors will recommend checks for individuals with specific genetic mutations, because mass screening is "likely to cause more harm than good".
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I am disappointed by today’s recommendation on prostate cancer screening from the National Committee.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 28, 2025
Targeted screening is a natural first step - but the recommendation today is far too targeted, not including black men or men with a family history, both high-risk groups.…
Following the announcement, a slew of well-known figures who have been diagnosed with the disease - including Sir Chris, Lord Cameron, Sir Stephen Fry and actor author Sir Tony Robinson - spoke of their disappointment at the recommendations
Six-time Olympic gold-medallist Sir Chris, who confirmed last year that his prostate cancer diagnosis was terminal, said: "I am extremely disappointed and saddened by the recommendation announced by the National Screening Committee today to rule against national screening for men at high risk of prostate cancer.
"More than 12,000 men are dying of prostate cancer every year; it is now the UK's most common cancer in men, with black men at double the risk, along with men with a family history, like myself.
"While introducing regular checks for men carrying the BRCA genes is a very small step forward, it is 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. I am determined to continue to use my platform to raise awareness, encourage open discussion, raise vital funds for further research and support, and to campaign for change."
Lord Cameron, who this month announced he was treated for prostate cancer last year, echoed the views of the cycling legend.
Writing on X, the former Conservative leader said: "I am disappointed by today's recommendation on prostate cancer screening from the National Committee.
"Targeted screening is a natural first step - but the recommendation today is far too targeted, not including black men or men with a family history, both high-risk groups.
"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among British men. We are letting down too many men if we don't push for a wider screening programme that includes all high-risk groups - and not just the men involved, but their families too, who risk losing a loved one unnecessarily. As I know all too well, prostate cancer can be symptomless early on.
"That's why screening is so essential - catching the cancers early when they can be more effectively and successfully treated, like in my own case."
Sir Tony, 79, who starred as Baldrick in Blackadder, added that he was "bitterly disappointed" by the news.
"Getting an early diagnosis for prostate cancer could save your life, but we still have no screening programme for it in the UK," he said.
"I was lucky I found my cancer early, but nearly 10,000 men a year are diagnosed too late for a cure, and that's just not right."
The decision comes days after Health Secretary Wes Streeting received a letter from a cross-party group of MPs who said the current system is "unstructured, inefficient and unfair," with those in the most deprived areas more likely to die from the disease.
The NSC did not recommend extensive screening for black men, who are at higher risk, or targeted screening for men with a family history of the disease.
This was due to a current lack of evidence and data, the NSC said.
Concerns had been raised in the past over the reliability of PSA blood tests, potentially leading to men having surgery o treatment they don't need.
Wes Streeting said he would consider the NSC findings ahead of March's final decision.
The Health Secretary added that he wanted to see earlier diagnosis and quicker treatment, but believed this needed to be balanced against "the harms that wider screening could cause to men".
The disease is the most common cancer in males in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases every year.
The National Screening Committee, comprised of doctors and economists, weighed up whether it believed the benefits of screening outweigh any risks, and whether testing could be done at a reasonable cost to the NHS.
They were told by Professor Sir Mike Richards, a former national cancer director and chairman of the NSC, that modelling on PSA shows "whole population screening may lead to a small reduction in prostate cancer deaths" but also "very high levels of overdiagnoses".
Prostate Cancer UK launched a trail last week into whether combining PSA with other promising screening techniques - such as PSA blood tests, genetic tests and 10-minute MRI scans - could lead to recommending population-wide screening.
Experts are eagerly awaiting the results - which should be ready within two years.
Mr Streeting added: "In the meantime, we will keep making progress on cutting cancer waiting times and investing in research into prostate cancer detection - in the last 12 months, 193,000 more patients received a diagnosis for suspected cancer on time.
"We are also providing funding to the £42m TRANSFORM trial, which has the potential to revolutionise prostate cancer screening, cutting out harmful side effects and making screening far more accurate."