Customs duty cut, slash MRP of 3 cancer drugs, pharma companies told

NEW DELHI: The govt has asked pharmaceutical companies to pass on the benefits of customs duty exemptions and GST reductions on three anti-cancer drugs to consumers by lowering prices.

In line with govt’s commitment to ensure the availability of drugs at affordable prices, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority directed manufacturers to reduce the MRP on the anti-cancer drugs — Trastuzumab , Osimertinib and Durvalumab. This is in pursuance to a Budget announcement on exempting these medicines from customs duty, the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers said. The department of revenue issued a notification dated July 23 reducing the customs duty on the drugs to nil. “Accordingly, there should be a reduction in MRP of these drugs in the market and benefits of reduced taxes and duties should be passed on to the consumers.”