According to a press release by the Ministry of Finance, Central Government has given full exemption from basic customs duty on all drugs and food for Special Medical Purposes imported for personal use for the treatment of all rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 through a general exemption notification.
The individual importer will have to produce a certificate from the Central or State Director of Health Services or the District Medical Officer/ Civil surgeon of the district to avail the exemption. The drugs generally attract a basic customs duty of 10%, while some categories of lifesaving drugs/vaccines attract a concessional rate of 5% or nil.
The Government has also fully exempted Pembrolizumav (Keytruda) used in the treatment of various cancers from basic custom duty.
