Editor's Pick: Drugs for rare diseases get customs duty relief

The central government has announced full exemption from basic customs duty on all drugs and food for special medical purposes (that provides nutritional support to persons who suffer from a specific disease, disorder or condition) imported for personal use for the treatment of all rare diseases. The new ruling covers rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021. The announcement was made through a general exemption notification and will come into effect from Saturday. Medicines/drugs usually attract a basic customs duty of 10%. Some categories of life-saving drugs/vaccines attract concessional rate of 5% or nil. The government has also fully exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) from basic customs duty. This drug is used in the treatment of various cancers. Individual importers can avail the exemption by producing a certificate from Central or State Director Health Services or District Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon of their district. The government also said that while exemptions for certain drugs for treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are already in place, it has received requests seeking similar relief in drugs used for treatment of other rare diseases too. The move is timely since drugs or special foods required for the treatment of these diseases are expensive and often need to be imported. According to the government’s press release, the exemption will provide substantial cost savings and relief to patients who suffer from rare diseases. The Hindu’s Editorials Disquiet down south: On the Karnataka Assembly election A new chapter: On Scotland’s new First Minister Humza Yousaf The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Eswatini is a country situated in which continent? South America Oceania Africa Asia To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 31 March 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Drugs for rare diseases get customs duty relief The central government has announced [full exemption from basic customs duty on all drugs]( food for special medical purposes (that provides nutritional support to persons who suffer from a specific disease, disorder or condition) imported for personal use for the treatment of all rare diseases. The new ruling covers rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021. The announcement was made through a general exemption notification and will come into effect from Saturday. Medicines/drugs usually attract a basic customs duty of 10%. Some categories of life-saving drugs/vaccines attract concessional rate of 5% or nil. The government has also fully exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) from basic customs duty. This drug is used in the treatment of various cancers. Individual importers can avail the exemption by producing a certificate from Central or State Director Health Services or District Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon of their district. The government also said that while exemptions for certain drugs for treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are already in place, it has received requests seeking similar relief in drugs used for treatment of other rare diseases too. The move is timely since drugs or special foods required for the treatment of these diseases are expensive and often need to be imported. According to the government’s press release, the exemption will provide substantial cost savings and relief to patients who suffer from rare diseases. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Disquiet down south: On the Karnataka Assembly election]( [Arrow][A new chapter: On Scotland’s new First Minister Humza YousafÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Eswatini is a country situated in which continent? - South America - Oceania - Africa - Asia To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today's Best Reads [[Big win for Edappadi Palaniswami at Madras High Court; Panneerselvam suffers jolt] Big win for Edappadi Palaniswami at Madras High Court; Panneerselvam suffers jolt]( [[Political Line | Big Picture: There is nothing inevitable about opposition unity] Political Line | Big Picture: There is nothing inevitable about opposition unity]( [[Watch | Why are the French angry with their government?] Watch | Why are the French angry with their government?]( [[Punjab and Haryana High Court seeks ChatGPT’s response in a bail plea case] Punjab and Haryana High Court seeks ChatGPT’s response in a bail plea case]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](