The Central has fully exempted basic customs duty from all drugs and food imports for special medical purposes and personal use in the treatment of rare diseases.
The rare diseases listed in the 2021 National Policy on Rare Diseases will be considered. The drugs and special foods required to treat such diseases are costly and must be imported.
To qualify for this exemption, the individual importer must present a certificate from the central or state director of health services or the district medical officer/civil surgeon of the district, according to the Central Government.
Drugs or medicines are generally subject to a 10% basic customs duty, with some categories of lifesaving drugs or vaccines subject to a 5% or NIL concession.
“While exemptions have already been granted to specific drugs used in the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the Government has received numerous representations seeking customs duty relief for drugs and medicines used in the treatment of other Rare Diseases,” an official government statement said on Thursday.
Treatment for some rare diseases is estimated to cost between Rs 10 lakh and more than Rs 1 crore per year for a child weighing 10 kg, with treatment lasting a lifetime and drug dose and cost increasing with age and weight.
In addition, the government has completely exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which is used in the treatment of various cancers, from basic customs duty.