Union Budget 2025-26: Lifesaving Drugs Gain Duty Exemptions

The Union Budget 2025-26 introduces full Basic Customs Duty exemptions for 36 lifesaving medicines. This initiative, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, aims to alleviate financial burdens for patients with chronic illnesses, including cancer and rare diseases, and enhances access through expanded Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs.

In a significant policy shift to aid patients battling severe chronic ailments, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an expanded list of lifesaving medications now fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty as part of the Union Budget 2025-26. This strategic move is designed to ease the financial strain on individuals suffering from cancer, rare diseases, and other serious conditions.

The new measure sees the addition of 36 more lifesaving drugs and medicines to the fully exempted category. These include advanced treatments for cancer, genetic disorders, and immune-related conditions, aiming to make these critical therapies more accessible and affordable for affected patients.

Moreover, six additional lifesaving medicines have been added to the concessional duty list, which now draws a reduced customs duty of 5 percent. The exemptions and reduced duties are also applicable to bulk drugs needed for manufacturing these medicines, underscoring the government's commitment to enhanced healthcare access. Notably, the role of pharmaceutical companies' Patient Assistance Programmes has been recognized, leading to an expansion of this category too.

In total, 37 more medicines are now duty-free when provided free of charge under 13 new Patient Assistance Programmes. This expansion significantly aids patients dependent on such programs for costly and vital treatments. The newly exempted drugs span a variety of conditions, including cancer therapies like Onasemnogene abeparvovec, Asciminib, Daratumumab, and Teclistamab. Treatments for rare diseases such as Risdiplam, Spesolimab, Velaglucerase Alpha, and Agalsidase Alfa are also covered.

Additionally, medicines targeting severe chronic illnesses such as Alirocumab, Evolocumab, and Inclisiran have been included in the expanded exemption list. (ANI)