Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is “honoured” to serve as an ambassador for a prostate cancer charity. In this role, he will support Prostate Cancer Research’s campaign to establish a national screening programme for men at high risk.

Last Thursday, Sunak visited the laboratories of Oxford BioDynamics—a British cancer diagnostics company—where teams are developing a new blood test. The innovative EpiSwitch PSE test can detect prostate cancer with 94% accuracy, a “significant improvement” over the widely used PSA test, according to the charity.

Sunak expressed pride in backing the charity’s mission to transform how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated. He noted, “Men tend to ignore pain, hoping it will go away rather than visiting the GP, which is one reason prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the UK. We can do something about that.” He highlighted that a trial he funded during his time in office demonstrated that early detection saves lives—survival rates are much higher when cancer is caught early, but they drop by half if detected late. “A targeted national screening programme will help save many lives,” he added.

The MP for Richmond and Northallerton also expressed hope that his role as an ambassador will encourage more men to discuss their experiences with prostate cancer and undergo screening, potentially preventing needless deaths. Just last month in the Commons, he urged the Government to boost screening efforts for high-risk groups.

Iain Ross, executive chairman of Oxford BioDynamics, pointed out that more than nine out of ten men receiving a positive EpiSwitch PSE result will have prostate cancer confirmed, which could “significantly cut” the number of expensive, unnecessary MRI scans and invasive prostate biopsies.

Oliver Kemp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer Research, praised Sunak’s ongoing support. He said, “Rishi’s advocacy will help us drive forward innovative research, challenge health inequalities, and ensure that more lives are saved.” Kemp described the EpiSwitch test as a “groundbreaking innovation” that could transform early detection and improve outcomes, aiming for a future where a prostate cancer diagnosis is no longer something to fear.