GST Council Lowers Tax on Cancer Drugs to 5%, Eases Financial Burden for Patients

Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, has voiced his support for the GST Council’s decision to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on cancer drugs to 5%. Jain emphasized that this move would significantly improve access to life-saving treatments for patients suffering from chronic diseases like cancer, which continues to place an increasing burden on India’s healthcare system. He also noted that this GST reduction follows the government’s recent exemption of customs duty on cancer drug imports, further helping to lower the costs of critical medications.

D. S. Negi, CEO of the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, praised the decision, stating that it will help make cancer treatment more affordable, particularly for high-cost therapies such as Trastuzumab, Pembrolizumab, and Durvalumab. This aligns with the institute’s mission of providing world-class cancer care without financial strain.

Dr. Manisha Karmarkar, CEO of DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, also commended the move, citing India's high cancer mortality rates and the increasing number of cancer cases projected by 2025. She stressed that the GST reduction will help alleviate the financial burden on patients and contribute to the creation of a more robust healthcare system capable of addressing the rising cancer load.