§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to begin his Department's public awareness campaign on prostate cancer. [92634]
§ Ms BlearsThe national health service prostate cancer programme stated that an education programme for the public, patients and professionals on the risks associated with individual testing for prostate cancer will be introduced.
This has been achieved through the prostate cancer risk management programme, which sent out evidence-based primary care resource packs to all general practitioners in England from 23 September 2002 to aid them in counselling men who are worried about prostate cancer. This ensures that men make an informed choice about whether or not to have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test based on an information leaflet developed specifically for men about the advantages and disadvantages of having a PSA test.
The Department is funding a Section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase further information about prostate cancer. This is supporting the creation, review, provision and dissemination of a range of awareness material, supported by £135,000 over three years.