The HSE is expected to consider the approval of two cancer drugs in the coming days, Minister for Health Simon Harris has said.

The HSE will consider the availability of nivolumab and pembrolizumab after doctors warned cancer patients would die as a result of delays in providing access to new drugs.

Dozens with advanced cancer are unable to access the latest treatment because the HSE’s drugs group had not met to approve it.

Mr Harris said on Sunday he wanted the assessment process progressed “urgently”.

“Both of these drugs have been considered by the National Council for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) as part of the assessment process, and I understand that they are scheduled to be further considered by the HSE in the course of this week.”

The Minister said he had been in contact with the HSE throughout the weekend and had “emphasised the need for the assessment process to be completed as quickly as possible”.

“My absolute priority is the care of the patients and I have asked the HSE to report back to me on this matter as early as possible this week.”

It is understood that the executive, which previously had the power to decide which life-saving drugs were made available, will make recommendations to ministers, who will then decide on their funding.

Former minister for health Leo Varadkar last year criticised international drug companies that charged the State and other small countries "unbelievably high prices'' for such drugs.

He said the companies were guilty of “greed incorporate’’, and that prices were way above manufacturing costs.

‘Astronomical cost’

Last year, the government approved the use of a life-saving drug which cost €430,000 per patient annually, even though the HSE said the cost was “exorbitant’’ and “astronomical’’.

The drug, Eculizumab, known commercially as Soliris, was made available to patients with two rare blood diseases on the basis of clinical need.

The HSE said at the time it had failed to negotiate a more reasonable price for the drug with the manufacturer.