The government has included in the list of free medicines provided by the state a new medicine for those suffering from advanced prostate cancer. 

Health Minister Chris Fearne on Monday announced the inclusion of Abiraterone, from which around 30 patients will benefit at a cost of €600,000 a year. 

The new medicine will be given to patients who have advanced prostate cancer and whose treatment is deemed as being not effective by doctors. 

Mr Fearne said this was a pledge included in the 2017 general election manifesto. 

He said the government was taking the fight against cancer very seriously through a five-pronged approach: prevention, early screening, treatment, rehabilitation and research. These are included in the government’s national strategy on cancer. 

He urged people to take conscious decisions in favour of prevention by following a balanced diet, not smoking and not drinking alcohol as well as allocating time for exercise. He said the Health Department and the local councils have embarked on special programmes to help people achieve a balanced lifestyle. 

On research, Mr Fearne said the country was not only depending on foreign research as cancer research was also being carried out locally thanks to an initiative of President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. 

He said the government will continue adding more medicines to the government’s list of free medicines.