The Government is likely to take off a handful of drugs, including those for haemophilia patients and those ‘not freely available’ in India, from the list of 74 drugs, which recently had their custom duty exemption withdrawn.
Sources in the Union Health Ministry said a decision in this regard will be given a final shape soon after a scientific review of the Finance Ministry’s notification issued late January is completed.
The issue is being closely monitored by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) which had to step in following public uproar over the notification withdrawing custom duty exemption on the imports of at least 74 drugs including life-saving ones used to treat cancer and HIV and haemophilia.
Sources said that haemophilia patients are likely to be the most affected by the Finance Ministry’s decision. Haemophilia is a genetic disorder in which the patient tends to bleed excessively. Anti-haemophilic factor concentrates (VIII & IX) that are given to patients to control the bleeding are off the list.
Such products may be off the list, said the sources. Also those drugs which are not freely available in India and the patients are dependent on imports will be withdrawn from the notification list issued by the Central Board of Customs and Excise.
Shaken out of its slumber, the Ministry is now trying to ensure that the cost of the drugs does not add to the woes of the patients.