The GST Council has given relief to patients by exempting cancer medicine Dinutuximab and special food for treating rare diseases from GST. Dinutuximab, branded as Qarziba, is used to treat nerve cell cancer called neuroblastoma in patients over 1 year old. The medicine costs Rs. 36 lakhs and is imported by individuals for personal use. Previously, it was taxed at 12 per cent Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST).
Last year, a Parliamentary committee suggested exempting cancer medicines from GST. They indicated that the high cost of cancer treatment in the country should be recognized as a medical condition that must be reported to the government.
Experts say that since these medicines are usually imported, patients have to raise the money themselves unless they are part of an NGO or a charitable organisation. Patients often rely on donations and crowdfunding, but it can be challenging to gather enough funds.
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Another option is to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to seek government assistance through the rare diseases fund. However, these processes can take months, and timely administration of the medicine is crucial.
Besides being expensive, accessing these proprietary medicines for rare diseases is unreliable and unregulated. They are mainly imported when needed. When a doctor prescribes the medicine, the patient is usually connected to an NGO or other patients who require the same prescription. The ultimate goal is for a distributor to import the medication normally for multiple patients.
