Exemption from customs duty on drugs for the treatment of rare diseases
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New Delhi (Best Hindu News): The Central Government has given complete exemption from customs duty on all drugs and food items imported for personal use by individuals for the treatment of all diseases kept in the list of rare diseases.
The government has also exempted pembrolizumab (Ketruda), used in the treatment of various types of cancer, from basic customs duty.
In an official release issued by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, it has been said that the Central Government through a general exemption notification has taken into account the special medical purpose for private use in respect of the treatment of all rare diseases listed under the ‘National Rare Disease Policy 2021’. Keeping in mind, all imported medicines and food items have been completely exempted from customs duty.
To avail this exemption, the individual importer has to produce a certificate obtained from the Central or State Director Health Services or the District Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon of the district. Drugs/drugs generally attract a basic customs duty of 10 per cent, while certain categories of life-saving drugs/vaccines attract a concessional rate of five per cent or nil customs duty.
Exemptions are provided for drugs prescribed for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy or Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but the government was receiving several representations seeking customs duty relief for drugs and medicines used in the treatment of other rare diseases. was requested. Medicines or special food items for the treatment of these diseases are very expensive and need to be imported. According to an estimate, in case of a child weighing 10 kg, the annual cost of treatment for some rare diseases can range from Rs 10 lakh to more than Rs 1 crore. This treatment lasts for a lifetime and with the increase in age and weight, the medicine and its cost also increase. This exemption will bring down the expenditure considerably and patients will get relief.
Pembrolizumab (Ketruda), used in the treatment of various cancers, has also been exempted from basic customs duty.
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