36 life-saving drugs to be exempted from customs duty, Sitharaman announces in Budget

Providing relief for cancer and rare disease patients, 36 life-saving drugs have been fully exempted from basic customs duty, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday. Additionally, 37 more medicines and 13 new patient assistance programs have also been exempted from the basic customs duty.

However, six life-saving drugs have a five per cent duty.

"To provide relief to patients, especially those suffering from cancer and rare diseases, I propose 36 life-saving drugs in fully exempted custom duties," Ms Sitharaman said while presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget.

In the last Budget, the government had made custom duty exemptions and a reduction in GST rates on three anti-cancer medications - Trastuzumab, Osimertinib and Durvalumab.