OBJECTIVES:  The aim of the study was to compare the availability of innovative cancer drugs in countries which have an established cost-effectiveness threshold (Great Britain, Czech Republic, Sweden and Poland), with those without this criterion (Germany, France, Italy). We also assessed the dependency between the reimbursement system and the incurred costs and obtained health outcomes. METHODS:  The analysis of reimbursement decisions concerning innovative cancer drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency in the years 2012-2013 and the available literature data concerning incidence, 5-year relative survival rate and the treatment costs of breast, lung, colon and prostate cancer. RESULTS:  The assessment covered 19 innovative drugs. Most of them were reimbursed in countries without a cost-effectiveness threshold — 80.7%, compared to the states where such threshold is in force — 59.6% (48.7% if Poland is included). In Poland only 3 out of 19 drugs included in the analysis were reimbursed (15.8%). The group of 16 non-reimbursed products in Poland included products which are reimbursed in all remaining countries that were considered. In countries without the cost-effectiveness threshold the health outcomes expressed as 5-year relative survival were better, compared to EU in general or to most of countries with the cost-effectiveness threshold, whereas expenditures per capita in most cancers were diversified — large (15-27 € in Germany) or similar to the countries with the cost-effectiveness threshold (6-13 € in France and Italy). In Poland for most evaluated cancers the lowest 5-year relative survival was noted, with the lowest expenditure per capita (5-9 €) simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS:  Limited access to innovative therapies resulting from using the cost-effectiveness threshold may have a significant impact on health outcomes in cancer treatment. The percentage of reimbursed innovative cancer drugs is higher in countries without restrictive financial criteria, where better health effects are observed.