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Cancer Drug Duty Cut: Relief or Mere Drop?
9 Feb
Summary
- Customs duty on 17 cancer drugs was reduced, but patient costs remain high.
- High-cost cancer therapies often have limited insurance coverage in India.
- Government schemes for financial aid are slow and uncertain for patients.
The Indian government has announced a reduction in customs duty on 17 cancer drugs, aimed at making targeted therapies more accessible. However, for patients like Meera Gupta, whose monthly treatment costs around Rs 3 lakh, the savings are marginal, estimated at Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000. Her son Vivek emphasizes that the high cost of medicines, such as Venetoclax, remains a significant barrier, despite duty exemptions.
Vivek also pointed out that government relief schemes are slow, often taking months to disburse funds, which cancer patients cannot afford to wait for. Health insurance also provides limited support, with policies often exhausted within months due to the exorbitant costs of advanced cancer treatments like immunotherapies. Coverage is frequently capped, leaving patients with substantial out-of-pocket expenses.
Medical experts confirm that while duty cuts are welcome, they don't substantially lower drug prices, especially for patented medications still under global manufacturing monopolies. Significant cost reductions are expected only after patents expire and generic versions become available. The current duty exemptions might allow insurance coverage to stretch further for some, but the overall financial burden on patients remains immense, particularly for those needing high-dose therapies.
