‘GST reduction on cancer drugs to make life-saving meds more affordable’: Experts

New Delhi: Welcoming the GST Council’s reduction in tax rates on essential cancer drugs, experts on Tuesday said that it is a crucial step and will make life-saving medicines more affordable and accessible to patients.

In a significant development for cancer patients across India, the GST Council at its 54th meeting held in New Delhi, on Monday evening decided to slash the GST rate from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on key cancer medications, including Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab.

“This move marks a crucial step in making life-saving treatments more affordable for patients battling cancer,” Dr Pritam Kataria, Consultant, Medical Oncology, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, said.

“With the incidence of cancers rising significantly this is a welcome move and further will increase the confidence of patients in the treatment system,” he added.

Cancer treatment can get expensive due to the long duration of treatment and the high cost of drugs, especially in cases where the drug needs to be imported as in the case of immunotherapy or targeted therapy.

“The slash in GST will allow more patients in India to receive the standard care. With the new treatment coming in reducing the side effects of therapy and improved responses this will improve the outcome in the patient,” Kataria said. (IANS)

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