Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current eligibility guidelines of BRCA1 gene testing, and how testing allows early detection of heightened risk of prostate cancer.

Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is delivered in line with the National Genomic Test Directory. The test directory outlines eligibility criteria and testing methods for over 200 cancer indications, including BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing for prostate cancer, and is regularly reviewed through an evidence-based process to ensure testing remains clinically relevant and cost-effective. Testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 can help identify individuals at increased genetic risk of developing prostate cancer, enabling earlier and more targeted monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment. This supports timely clinical interventions and can improve outcomes for patients and their families. NHS England has also funded transformation projects through NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) alliances, including one led by the East GMS Alliance focused on improving the prostate cancer pathway. This project focused on the genetic testing of prostate tumour tissue samples to better understand the causes and inform treatment decisions, while also identifying whether relatives may be at increased risk of cancers such as breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer.