NICE defends decision on prostrate drug Abiraterone

The NHS drugs regulator in England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), has rejected a treatment for men with prostate cancer.

The drug Abiraterone is already given to men after chemotherapy but NICE says it is too expensive to be offered before men start chemo.

NICE chief executive Sir Andrew Dillon said it was "disappointing" not to be able to recommend Abiraterone for use in this way.

He added that the NHS could not hand the "keys of the safe to the drugs industry" and must use its resources as "effectively as possible."