The Government of India has exempted all drugs and Food for Special Medical Purposes imported for personal use for treatment of all Rare Diseases from the basic customs duty. The exempted drugs and Food are listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021. Finance Ministry said, to avail this exemption, the individual importer has to produce a certificate from Central or State Director Health Services or the Civil Surgeon of the district.
The Ministry said, government has fully exempted Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) used in treatment of various cancers from basic customs duty. The medicines generally attract basic customs duty of ten per cent, while some categories of lifesaving drugs and vaccines attract concessional rate of five per cent or Nil. The Ministry said, government has been receiving many representations seeking customs duty relief for drugs and medicines used in treatment of rare diseases.