GST ends on cancer medicines, surgery patients benefitImage Credit Source: Thana Prasongsin/Moment/Getty Images
GST CUT on Cancer Medicines: The Government of India has made a big change in the rates of GST. The government has completely removed GST (0%) on life-savings drugs. Earlier they were levied 12% or 5% tax. This includes drugs dealing with cancer, rare and serious diseases. Due to decrease in GST on medicines and equipment, it will now be possible to save up to lakhs of rupees. This will make it easier for financially weak patients to continue treatment and they will not have to give up treatment in the middle. Apart from this, both mental and economic burden on families will be reduced.
Treatment of cancer in India is quite expensive. Patients and their families had to face the expenses of hospitals along with surgery. Medicines and medical equipment used to put a lot of weight on pockets. In such a situation, GST has been removed from life saving medicines of many serious diseases including cancer. Now these medicines will not be taxed and patients will get financial relief directly.
Which drugs reduced GST
The government has made GST zero (0%) on more than 30 life-savings medicines. Earlier they were taxed up to 12%. These include many important drugs used in the treatment of cancer, such as Eskiminib, Daratumumab, Mepolizum, Pegilated Liposomal Irinotechon, Avolokumab, Ellocumab, etc.
Which medical equipment reduced GST
Earlier, devices such as thermometer, blood pressure monitor, glucometer, diagnostic kits, bandage and testing strips had to be paid from 12% to 18%. Now it has been reduced to only 5%. This means that now all these devices will be available at cheap prices already. This decision will directly benefit millions of families, because these devices are frequent products.
What is the benefit of patients undergoing surgery? Oncologist Dr. Rohit Kapoor has told about this in Max Hospital
- Direct savings on medicines
If life-savings of cancer (or related serious illness) before or after surgery, such as onasemnoegene Abeparvovec, Asciminib, Daratumab etc. are used, then they will no longer be GST. This will reduce the cost of treatment directly.
- Savings on surgery related equipment
Operation often uses accessories such as bandage, surgical gazes, diagnostic kits or glucometer (for diabetes patients), thermometer etc. GST has come down to 5% on these, due to which their cost has reduced before.
- Economic relief on total treatment
In surgery, the loan of drugs, devices used in surgery and disposable kits increases significantly. Decreasing GST on devices such as diagnostic kits or glucometer (for diabetes patients), thermometer will provide financial relief to the patient and their families on the total treatment of surgery.
For example, patients undergoing cancer surgery are given medicines that prevent infection in post-operation, chemotherapy medicines or targeted therapy. Earlier, they used to impose up to 12% GST, but now due to zero tax, the patient’s pocket will be loaded much less.