In Sonablate News

Three separate clinicians told Paul Sayer that focal therapy was not an option for his prostate disease. Turns out, that was not true.

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Sonablate Corp. Announces Support for Paul’s charity, Prost8 UK and the ONE in EIGHT Campaign and Advocacy for Education on Minimally Invasive Treatment Options for Prostate Diseases

Sonablate Corp., a world leader in non-invasive focused ultrasound technologies, announces support for the recently formulated charity, Prost8 UK and the ONE in EIGHT campaign. Prost8’s effort to provide patients in the UK access to focal therapy as a treatment option is bolstered by a recently published report, “Barriers to Patient Access of Minimally Invasive CancerTherapies” from the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) on Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies (MICT). 

When seeking treatment for his recent prostate disease diagnosis, three separate clinicians told Paul Sayer that focal therapy was not an option for him.

Focused on avoiding over treatment for his medium-grade prostate disease, Paul conducted his own research on focal therapy. Understanding the extensive side effects that are associated with traditional treatment options including radiation and surgery, Paul knew he had to find a physician who also believed in focal therapy.  Paul sought out a leader in focal therapy, Prof. Hashim Ahmed at Imperial College London, to discuss if focal therapy was an option. Paul was a candidate and went on to receive treatment, avoiding the unnecessary need for extensive surgery. 

Moved by the fact that there are over 12,000 men in the UK with low- to medium-grade disease being offered aggressive treatments unnecessarily, Paul started the charity Prost8 with the goal of making over-treatment a thing of the past. 

Prost8’s ONE in EIGHT campaign reflects the 1 in 8 men in the UK that will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Currently, the NHS offers in almost all cases the same traditional treatments, regardless of how aggressive the disease is. This over-treatment is unnecessary as there are minimally invasive, NICE/NHS approved, treatment options available in the UK. The ONE in EIGHT campaign goal is to raise funds to purchase and place additional focal therapy systems throughout the UK, providing a higher level of access to patients.  

“Men have a right to be treated locally – this is a national health service.” Says Paul Sayer, Founder of Prost8

There are currently just three hospitals in the UK offering focal therapy, all of which are in or around London and two additional hospitals in the UK utilize mobile services for procedures periodically. The lack of access to focal therapy within the UK is bolstered by the recently released report from the All APPG (All-Party Parliament Group) on MICTs(Minimally Invasive Cancer Treatments) which highlights key barriers for patient access to MICTs. The APPG’s goal is to ensure patients have access to proven therapies that deliver more targeted and less invasive treatments. The report found that less than 10% of cancer patients had been offered any type of minimally invasive cancer therapy following diagnosis.  

Identified key barriers for patient access to MICTs include: 

1. Lack of awareness from clinicians and patients 

2. The NHS system and infrastructure are not set up to put patients at the heart of the system 

3. Funding barriers restrict funding to hospital Trusts and disincentivizing hospitals from offering MICT   

“This report further proves the lack of availability and education about focal therapy as a treatment option offered by the NHS in the UK. Sonablate fully supports the Prost8 charity’s mission to make over treatment for prostate diseases a thing of the past.” Alex Gonzalez, Chief Commercial Officer of Sonablate Corp.

For more information on Prost8 or the 1 in 8 Campaign, visit www.prost8.org.uk.  

About Sonablate Corp.
Sonablate Corp. is a world leader in non-invasive focused ultrasound technologies. Sonablate Corp. is committed to developing focused ultrasound related technologies that support precise and innovative procedures for the treatment of a range of medical conditions. Sonablate Corp., with its subsidiary Focus Surgery, Inc., designs and manufactures medical devices, including the Sonablate®, which has 510(k)clearance in the U.S and NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) approval in China; and Sonablate®, which has CE Marking and has obtained regulatory authorization in more than 50 countries outside the U.S. For the full list of indications, visit www.sonablate.com/indications. Caution: Federal (USA) law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician. For additional information, visit www.sonablate.com.