Cancer Drugs Rate Cut: Prices of three anticancer drugs lowered
New Delhi| The government has reduced customs duties on the three anti-cancer drugs trastuzumab derxtecan, osimertinib and durvalumab to zero. GST rates on these anti-cancer drugs were also reduced from 12% to 5%.
The Revenue Department of the Ministry of Finance has announced the zeroing of customs duties on three anti-cancer drugs namely trastuzumab deruxtecan, osimertinib and dervalumab under Notification 30/2024 dated 23.07.2024.\
The government has also reduced GST rates on these anti-cancer drugs from 12% to 5% under Notification No. 05/2024 dated 08.10.2024. According to the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), the maximum retail price (MRP) of drugs/formulations includes applicable taxes and fees.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) issued an office memorandum directing companies to reduce the MRP on these medicines due to reduction in GST rates and exemption from customs duty so that consumers can be given the benefit of lower taxes and duties. Companies were directed to file Form II/V to provide information about price changes. In response, drug manufacturers reduced the MRP on these medicines and filed information with NPPA.
Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel gave this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
