Winning Bizness Desk

Mumbai. The Government of India has abolished basic custom duty on imported medicines and special food for the treatment of all rare diseases listed under the National Rare Disease Policy 2021. The exemption in import duty will be applicable from April 1. Medicines generally attract a basic customs duty of 10%, while certain categories of life-saving drugs attract a concessional rate of 5%. While drugs used in the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy or Duchenne muscular dystrophy are already exempt. This will provide a lot of relief to those people of the country, whose family members are suffering from rare diseases. The government has also given exemption on Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), used in the treatment of cancer.

Long pending demand fulfilled

Relief was being demanded from the government on the medicines used in the treatment of other rare diseases because the medicines or special food used in the treatment of these diseases are very expensive. They also have to be imported. The ministry said that it is estimated that the annual cost of treatment for some critical diseases for a child weighing 10 kg can range from Rs 10 lakh to more than Rs 1 crore per year. In this the treatment lasts for a lifetime.

Painkillers, antibiotics to be costlier

To avail this exemption, the individual importer has to submit a certificate from the Central or State Director Health Services or District Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon. On the other hand, painkillers, anti-infectives, antibiotics and heart medicines are going to be costlier from April. The government has allowed drug companies to increase prices. Prices will increase based on changes in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI). National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) Joint Commissioner Rashmi Tahaliyani said, compared to 2021, there has been an annual change of 12.12% in the Wholesale Price Index. This is likely to increase prices by 12% for 384 molecules comprising 900 formulations for the treatment of 27 diseases.