To enhance access to essential treatments and reduce financial strain on patients, the budget has removed customs duty on three cancer medications. The drugs – trastuzumab deruxtecan, osimertinib, and durvalumab previously had a 10% duty.
In 2023, the cancer medication Keytruda, produced by Merck, was also exempted from customs duty. There has been a long-standing demand to eliminate import duties on drugs for rare and critical diseases.
As reported by msn.com, typically, medicines are subject to a 10% basic customs duty, while certain life-saving drugs and vaccines either benefit from a reduced rate of 5% or are fully exempt from duties.