LocalCircles, India’s largest citizen engagement platform today announced that citizens want Government of India to continue with the customs duty exemptions provided on life saving drugs. Recently, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) issued a notification withdrawing exemption of basic customs duty on 74 life savings drugs. These drugs are used for treatment of diseases like Cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy, HIV, Heart rhythm disorders, Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Bone diseases, etc.
The withdrawal of this exemption will make these drugs expensive. “Though many of the cancer and HIV drugs on which exemptions have been withdrawn have generic versions in the market, there will be a price impact on both imported and indigenously produced drugs of 10-25% and put an extra burden on patients”, Biocon chairperson and MD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. “It is good to see that citizens are taking the time to understand the matter and submitting their collective view to the Government for reconsideration”, continued Shaw. “Making expensive life saving drugs that are under foreign patents affordable in India must be a national priority of the Government”, said Sachin Taparia, Chairman and CEO, LocalCircles.
“In addition to exempting such drugs from customs duty, the Government must consider working with leadership of other countries on Government to Government supply of these drugs at subsidized prices”, continued Taparia. In the poll, Citizens were asked about the reconsideration for the decision taken on exemption of the waived 22% customs duty on imported cancer and life saving drugs (including drugs made in SEZs). Citizens unanimously supported the reconsideration of the decision taken by the Government. Out of the 18,000 citizens polled in this survey, 81% citizens voted for reconsideration of the exemption.
#Poll Question
Some citizen inputs on what should be done to make life saving medicines affordable in India:
- The customs, excise, tax subsidies given on life saving drugs should be maintained and, if possible, increased, not taken away
- The patented and imported life saving medicines need to be brought to India at a lower cost by country leadership level dialogue
- Foreign healthcare companies holding patents can Make in India at a lower cost and price it in India based on affordability levels. Increased volumes from India will help them recover the R&D cost faster no/low demand from India at high prices
- Government should encourage Indian companies to partner with healthcare companies holding the patent of these life saving drugs and give them licenses to produce in India
- Ministry of Health may also evaluate bulk buy options at the country level from the foreign patent holder health care companies at much lower prices. This can be a Government to Government sale like some defence equipment
- Indian pharma manufacturers should invest more in research and development of life saving drugs
- Ministry of Health, Government of India should promote and sponsor research by academics and corporates with certain conditions attached to it
- Government of India should encourage the start-up entrepreneurs to set up pharmaceutical industries in the country by offering various concessions and do pointed research and development in the area of life saving drugs
- The profit margin thresholds on life saving drugs should be decided by the Government
- The process of filing and receiving a drug patent in India should be simplified and expedited.
About LocalCircles
LocalCircles is India’s leading citizen engagement platform that connects citizens at local, city and national level to participate in governance and make their urban life better. LocalCircles has more than 1,000,000 citizens connected on it across the country. All data and poll results are an exclusive copyright of LocalCircles so please give due credit.
Courtesy by www.businesswire.com
