Understanding Genetic Testing and Prostate Cancer: What’s Changing in Australia

In this podcast, we explore the growing role of genetic testing in prostate cancer, and what recent changes in Australian law mean for patients and families. Genetic testing is becoming an increasingly important part of prostate cancer care, helping guide treatment decisions, identify inherited risk, and enable earlier detection for family members. However, access to testing in Australia remains inconsistent, with no unified national framework and public funding largely limited to late-stage disease. At the same time, concerns about how genetic information could be used - particularly in life insurance - have been a longstanding barrier for many people considering testing. Australia has now introduced new legislation to ban the use of genetic test results in life insurance underwriting, marking a significant step forward in protecting patients and improving confidence in testing. Hosted by global moderator and cancer survivor Katie Clift, this session brings together Professor Haitham Tuffaha, a PCFA-funded researcher and health economist, and Doctor Jane Tiller, a leading expert in genetic discrimination and health law. This discussion will help patients and families better understand what genetic testing involves, what the latest evidence shows, and why there is a growing call for national reform to ensure all Australians can benefit from advances in prostate cancer care. For more information and support, please call 1800 22 00 99 or visit prostate.org.au.