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33 Medicines Will Become Cheaper: Benefit for Cancer, Asthma, and Other Patients
Indiaemploymentnews | September 5, 2025 10:39 PM CST

New Delhi: The GST Council has taken a major step by abolishing the 12% and 18% tax slabs. Health and life insurance will now attract 0% GST, and 33 life-saving medicines have been made tax-free. This decision will provide relief to patients suffering from cancer, asthma, heart diseases, and other serious illnesses. The reduction in medicine prices will also offer significant financial benefits to common people.

GST on Life-Saving Drugs

The GST Council meeting was held on September 3, 2025, under the leadership of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The council unanimously decided to remove the 12% and 28% GST slabs. While this will make many daily-use products cheaper, the biggest relief has come in the medical sector.

  • Health and Life Insurance: GST reduced from 18% to 0%

  • 33 Life-Saving Medicines: GST reduced from 18% to 0%

These changes will directly benefit patients dealing with serious and rare diseases.

Medicines That Will Become Cheaper

The medicines whose prices have been reduced include:

  • Onasemnogene Abeparvovec

  • Asciminib

  • Maplazumab

  • Pegylated Liposomal Irinotecan

  • Daratumumab

  • Daratumumab Subcutaneous

  • Teclistamab

  • Enitumumab

  • Alectinib

  • Risdiplam

  • Pertuzumab

  • Polatuzumab Vedotin

  • Etanercept

  • Alemtuzumab

  • Spesolimab

  • Velaglucerase Alfa

  • Agalsidase Alfa

  • Rurioctocog Alfa Pegol

  • Idursulfase

  • Alglucosidase Alfa

  • Laronidase

  • Olipudase Alfa

  • Topotecan

  • Avelumab

  • Emicizumab

  • Belumosudil

  • Miglustat

  • Velmanase Alfa

  • Alirocumab

  • Evocacumab (Evinacumab)

  • Cysteamine Bitartrate

  • C1-Inhibitor Injection

  • Inclisiran

Diseases Treated by These Medicines

These medicines are used to treat a variety of serious and rare diseases, including:

  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

  • COVID-19 / Viral infections

  • Pancreatic Cancer

  • Multiple Myeloma

  • Colorectal Cancer

  • Lung Cancer

  • Breast Cancer

  • Lymphoma

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • Psoriasis

  • Multiple Sclerosis

  • Gaucher Disease

  • Fabry Disease

  • Hemophilia A

  • Hunter Syndrome (MPS II)

  • Pompe Disease

  • Hurler Syndrome (MPS I)

  • Niemann-Pick Disease

  • Ovarian Cancer

  • Merkel Cell Carcinoma

  • Urothelial Carcinoma

  • Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

  • Alpha-Mannosidosis

  • High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolemia / HoFH)

With this reform, patients who rely on these life-saving medicines will face lower treatment costs, making healthcare more affordable and accessible.

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