Testing right to be withdrawn

User

Posted 15 Aug 2026 at 07:30

Ive Just read that the right to access a PSA test after the age of 50 is to be withdrawn.

You can still ask for a test, but your GP has to decide if a test is appropriate for you.

Given that GPs are under pressure to save money you will have quite a job to convince yours to waste money on a test that could possibly lead to further costly and pointless tests.

Forget the fact that this test could save a man's life.

Classic pennywise, pound foolish policy setting.

User

Posted 17 Aug 2026 at 17:33

So hundreds of thousands of people called for mass screening for prostate cancer and the government response is the removal of a right to be tested!!!

It's hard to understand the incompetence of our government allowing such unfairness for men.

Sickening!

User

Posted 17 Aug 2026 at 18:31

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Ive Just read that the right to access a PSA test after the age of 50 is to be withdrawn.

You can still ask for a test, but your GP has to decide if a test is appropriate for you.

Hi, Mick.

Both my sons are approaching fifty. I'll photostat my post RARP histology report and send them each a copy. Perhaps that might add some weight to their PSA requests.

Edited by member 17 Aug 2026 at 18:57 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 17 Aug 2026 at 20:50

My husband's father had PC at 70 odd. He lived to be 92 but husband stressed this to GP . He also mentioned he had to get up at night to pee. Several years of annual PSAs and digital exams followed.
He was reassured each year all OK. Finally PSA reached 7.5 and 2 biopsies he is G8. It was bit too late really

Edited by member 18 Aug 2026 at 08:09 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 18 Aug 2026 at 07:59

Jeremy Clarkson's suggestion of telling your doctor you're up multiple times in the night to go for a wee even if it's not true sounds like the best plan going forward now.

User

Posted 18 Aug 2026 at 09:10

At the support group I attend there has been a consensus that some GPs are already reluctant to arrange PSA tests and have been for some time. The advice is to follow Jeremy Clarksons suggestion! It may depend on the GP but I had no issues with mine.

User

Posted 18 Aug 2026 at 20:56

I did a survey of some local support groups some years ago, and 10% of those diagnosed said they had to make up symptoms to get the PSA test which resulted in their diagnosis.

That figure is likely to be significantly higher now that several celebs have been telling people to make up symptoms.

In the UK, around 80% of those diagnosed had no symptoms of the cancer.
In the US, it's 85% (reported at EAU 2025), but they do more testing so that's believable.

Interestingly, the symptom most reported by our patients is one clinicians never ask about - loss or significant reduction of semen.

User

Posted 18 Aug 2026 at 21:36

Andy62
I would say the loss of ejaculations sometimes was definitely a symptom for my husband. We'd never really had any problems and he'd vaguely enquired about viagra. Then after I started doing the Squeezy app he started doing the mens version too. That amazingly cured the problem.
But these things are never discussed. Even now he's on ADT it's the elephant in the room.
I'd say we're doing amazingly well in that aspect. 100% due to our own initiatives, information from the Internet, and a very understanding GP who we are both registered with. ( A youngish woman) We have both given up mentioning it. Husband did mention it several times and actually asked for the fact he was endeavouring to maintain sexual function to be added to his notes. It has not been and he has never been asked how this is going.
Despite the fact this ED is the no. 1 side effect.

User

Posted 18 Aug 2026 at 21:47

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Ive Just read that the right to access a PSA test after the age of 50 is to be withdrawn.

You can still ask for a test, but your GP has to decide if a test is appropriate for you.

Given that GPs are under pressure to save money you will have quite a job to convince yours to waste money on a test that could possibly lead to further costly and pointless tests.

Forget the fact that this test could save a man's life.

Classic pennywise, pound foolish policy setting.

I don't think this is anything to do with saving money. My GP told me (admittedly 8 years ago) that a PSA test cost him 65p to add to a blood test you're already having. (There's also the MRI scan for those who go through to the next stage.) Also, it's much cheaper to treat people whose cancer is discovered early than it is to treat people discovered later, and very expensive to treat someone who is incurable.

The national screening program was likely about money. It was unofficially made clear that nothing was going to be rolled out unless it was cost-neutral. That was the basis of PCR's recommendation which showed that screening high risk groups was cost neutral by saving on the high cost of treating incurable patients.

I did a response to the consultation, saying there was far too much emphasis on over treatment (which is lower in the UK than most other countries), and not enough on preventing the 12,000 men/year dying.

User

Posted 19 Aug 2026 at 07:54

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Jeremy Clarkson's suggestion of telling your doctor you're up multiple times in the night to go for a wee even if it's not true sounds like the best plan going forward now.

Agreed and there are alternatives. I didn’t need to ask my GP for a PSA test. My PC was discovered after a blood test with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust. For a small fee they test in some areas. I’ve just looked at the GFCT website and see there is PSA testing taking place in various places including Warwickshire, Devon and Dorset in the coming days/weeks.

User

Posted 19 Aug 2026 at 08:06

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Antoinette,

Do you mean that the Squeezy app restored erections (rather than ejaculations)?

Thanks.

User

Posted 19 Aug 2026 at 09:16

Andy 62
It helped both really. But you are quite right it's a sign something is not quite right.
He still does the Squeezy app 4 times a day. He's 3 weeks after finishing 20 sessions of RT and thinks it's helped a bit. If he needs a wee he has to go fairly quickly but not many huge problems.

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