GSTnews item5 February 2016

Customs duty exemption withdrawal: Patient groups, industry concerned

News Update

Customs duty exemption withdrawal: Patient groups, industry concerned

Published Date: Feb 06, 2016
Source: ICAI PD Committee
The Centre’s move to withdraw customs duty exemption from certain drugs has patient-groups and industry concerned. It is unethical for the Government to withdraw exemption from haemophilic drugs, especially when there are no local makers of this product, said Rupal Panchal of the Haeomophilia Society. There is no quality production of anti-haeomophilic factor concentrate (VIII and IX), he said, adding that both these drugs were critical for the 16,000-odd patients in India. The price of the drug would increase, with the Government removing the drug from the exemptions list for customs duty. Even the Government sources the drug from the importing company Baxter, he pointed out.
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