Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI In a big relief to cancer patients, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, exempted customs duty on three cancer drugs. The three drugs are Trastuzumab deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab. The reduction in customs duty may help reduce the financial burden on those battling the deadly disease.
In her seventh budget speech, the Union Minister also called for exemptions in custom duties on X-ray tubes and flat panel detectors.
“I also propose changes in the BCD (Basic Customs Duty), X-ray tubes, and flat panel detectors for use in medical X-ray machines under the phased manufacturing programme to synchronise them with domestic capacity addition,” said Sitharaman.
According to the recent 4th edition of Apollo Hospitals’ Health of Nation Report, cancer cases are skyrocketing across the country. The report dubbed India the cancer capital of the world.
