Re-introducing prescription charges of up to £25 a year per person could pay for a cancer drugs fund in Northern Ireland, the health minister has said.
Edwin Poots announced on Twitter on Thursday that a proposal to reinstate the charges is being considered.
"A small prescription fee with a maximum payment of £25 per year would acquire specialist/cancer drugs for NI," Mr Poots tweeted.
"I need the support of other political parties to make it happen."
He added: "Paper was submitted to FM/DFM (first minister/deputy first minister) over a year ago on a prescription charge to buy cancer drugs and specialist drugs, FM not holding it back."
There are currently 38 cancer drugs available to patients elsewhere in the UK that are not readily available to critically ill people in Northern Ireland.
This is despite the fact that research and clinical trials for some of the drugs have been carried out at Queen's University, Belfast.
Roisin Foster, chief executive of Cancer Focus NI, said it was unfair that patients in Northern Ireland did not have the same access to cancer drugs as patients in England.
"While processes are reviewed and things are looked at, people are dying who could have their life extended," she said.
"We would like the minister to make a rapid decision on this and to move forward to make these drugs available.
"Our patients are just as important as those who live in Bradford and Birmingham."
Maeve McLaughlin of Sinn Féin told Radio Ulster's Nolan Show on Friday that her party would oppose any type of prescription charges.
New charges 'could buy cancer drugs'
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