Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Tuesday, announced her 7th Budget for the country and for the health industry, she revealed that three cancer drugs will be exempted from custom duty to benefit cancer patients. Read on to know what these drugs are and how they benefit fits.

Exemption from basic customs duty could potentially reduce the price by 10-20%, making these treatments more affordable for patients.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Tuesday, announced her 7th Budget for the country and for the health industry, she revealed that three cancer drugs will be exempted from custom duty to benefit cancer patients. Read on to know what these drugs are and how they benefit fits.

What are these drugs used for specifically?

1. Trastuzumab Deruxtecan: This is an antibody-drug conjugate used primarily to treat HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). It is also being studied for use in other types of cancer, such as gastric cancer.
2. Osimertinib: This is a targeted therapy used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with specific mutations in the EGFR gene. It is particularly effective against cancers that have developed resistance to earlier generations of EGFR inhibitors.
3. Durvalumab: This is an immunotherapy drug that works by blocking the PD-L1 protein, helping the immune system to attack cancer cells. It is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer).

How much will the cost come down?

The exact reduction in cost will depend on the current customs duty rates and other associated costs such as import taxes and logistics. Exemption from basic customs duty could potentially reduce the price by 10-20%, making these treatments more affordable for patients. However, precise figures would require detailed pricing and duty structure analysis.

How commonly are these drugs prescribed?

1. Trastuzumab Deruxtecan: This is commonly prescribed for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer who have not responded to other treatments. It is relatively new but has shown significant promise in clinical trials.
2. Osimertinib: This is widely prescribed for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. It is often used as a first-line treatment and is also prescribed for patients whose cancer has progressed despite other EGFR inhibitors.
3. Durvalumab: This is commonly used in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer and bladder cancer, particularly after initial treatments have failed. It is also used in combination with other treatments to enhance efficacy.

Simple what are these drugs for and how will removal of customs help?

1. Trastuzumab Deruxtecan: Used for advanced HER2-positive breast cancer.
2. Osimertinib: Used for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.
3. Durvalumab: Used for non-small cell lung cancer and bladder cancer.

How will removal of customs help?

Exempting these drugs from basic customs duty will lower their import costs, making them more affordable for patients. This can improve access to advanced cancer treatments, reduce the financial burden on patients and their families, and potentially improve treatment outcomes by allowing more patients to benefit from these effective therapies.

(The article is authored by Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Surgical Oncology at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi)

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