Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her eighth consecutive Union Budget presentation on Saturday, announced significant relief measures for patients battling cancer, rare diseases, and other chronic ailments.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her eighth consecutive Union Budget presentation on Saturday, announced significant relief measures for patients battling cancer, rare diseases, and other chronic ailments. She proposed to fully exempt customs duty on 36 life-saving drugs, expanding the government’s efforts to make critical treatments more affordable for patients.

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"To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases, and other severe chronic diseases, I propose to add 36 life-saving drugs and medicines to the list of those fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD)," Sitharaman said during her Budget 2025 address.

The list includes crucial medications such as Onasemnogene abeparvovec, Daratumumab, Atezolizumab, Risdiplam, and Velaglucerase Alpha, among others. These drugs cater to conditions ranging from cancer to rare genetic disorders and severe chronic illnesses.

Also read: Budget 2025 highlights: FM Sitharaman gives relief to middle class in reformist Budget; list of announcements

Additional Measures

In addition to the full exemption, Sitharaman proposed to include six more life-saving medicines under a concessional customs duty rate of 5%. Furthermore, bulk drugs used in the manufacturing of these medicines will also benefit from these exemptions and concessions, ensuring a reduction in production costs for pharmaceutical companies.

Addressing the importance of patient assistance programmes, the finance minister announced the inclusion of 37 new medicines and 13 patient assistance initiatives under schemes that already allow full exemption from customs duty for medicines supplied free of cost to patients.

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Full List of Exempted Medicines

The 36 life-saving drugs exempted from Basic Customs Duty include:

  1. Onasemnogene abeparvovec
  2. Asciminib
  3. Mepolizumab
  4. Pegylated Liposomal Irinotecan
  5. Daratumumab
  6. Daratumumab (subcutaneous)
  7. Teclistamab
  8. Amivantamab
  9. Alectinib
  10. Risdiplam
  11. Obinutuzumab
  12. Polatuzumab vedotin
  13. Entrectinib
  14. Atezolizumab
  15. Spesolimab
  16. Velaglucerase Alpha
  17. Agalsidase Alfa
  18. Rurioctocog Alpha Pegol
  19. Idursulphatase
  20. Alglucosidase Alfa
  21. Laronidase
  22. Olipudase Alfa
  23. Tepotinib
  24. Avelumab
  25. Emicizumab
  26. Belumosudil
  27. Miglustat
  28. Velmanase Alfa
  29. Alirocumab
  30. Evolocumab
  31. Cystamine Bitartrate
  32. CI-Inhibitor injection
  33. Inclisiran
  34. Agalsidase Beta
  35. Imiglucerase
  36. Eptacog Alfa (activated recombinant coagulation factor VIIa)