Overview
- The Union Budget removes a 5–10% basic customs duty on 17 oncology medicines and seven rare-disease therapies with immediate effect.
- The rare-disease exemption remains in force until March 31, 2029, offering a defined window for suppliers, hospitals and assistance programmes.
- An advocacy analysis reports minimal price change for patented drugs, estimating Enhertu treatment at about Rs 1.13 crore per year for a 60 kg patient.
- Lower landed costs chiefly benefit import-reliant multinational portfolios and government purchasers under schemes such as CGHS and ESIC, with limited gains for out-of-pocket patients.
- India’s indigenous CAR-T therapy NexCAR19 is included, improving treatment economics even as the one-time cost of roughly Rs 25–30 lakh remains steep, and oncologists expect fewer treatment delays and more guideline-based prescribing.