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GST Council Slashes Tax on Essential Cancer Drugs, Offering Relief to Patients

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Swapnil Deshpande    10 September 2024

The GST Council has reduced the tax on essential cancer drugs from 12% to 5%, making life-saving treatments more affordable for patients. This move aligns with efforts to alleviate the financial burden of cancer care in India.


In a significant relief for cancer patients across India, the GST Council has announced a reduction in tax rates on essential cancer drugs. During its 54th meeting in New Delhi, the Council decided to lower the GST rate from 12% to 5% on key cancer medications, including Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab.


This reduction is part of the government's ongoing efforts to make life-saving treatments more affordable for patients battling cancer. It follows a significant move in July 2023, when the GST Council exempted Dinutuximab, a drug used to treat neuroblastoma, from GST. The exemption came after concerns were raised about the high cost of cancer treatment, especially for rare cancers like neuroblastoma.


The GST Council’s decision aligns with the recommendations of a 2022 Parliamentary panel, which advocated waiving GST on cancer drugs and recognizing cancer as a notifiable disease due to its severe impact on public health.


(Source: https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/healthcare/cancer-care-gets-affordable-gst-on-trastuzumab-osimertinib-durvalumab-reduced-19473532.htm )

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