In line with the Government’s commitment to ensure the availability of drugs at affordable prices, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has issued an Office Memorandum dated October 28, 2024, directing the concerned manufacturers to reduce the maximum retail price on three anti-cancer drugs, Trastuzumab, Osimertinib and Durvalumab. This is in pursuance to the announcement made in the Union Budget for the year 2024-25 exempting these three anti-cancer medicines from custom duty. The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance issued Notification 30/2024 dated July 23, 2024, reducing the custom duty to nil on these three anticancer drugs.
Further, the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance has issued notification no. 05/2024 dated October 8, 2024, notifying the reduction in GST Rates from 12 per cent to 5 per cent with effect from October 10, on these three drugs.
Accordingly, there should be a reduction in the MRP of these drugs in the market and the benefits of reduced taxes and duties should be passed on to the consumers. Hence, NPPA vide O.M. dated October 28, 2024, has directed all the manufacturers of the above-mentioned drugs to reduce their MRP. The manufacturers are required to issue a price list or supplementary price list to the dealers, State Drugs Controllers and the Government indicating changes and to submit information regarding price changes to NPPA through Form-II/ Form V.