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PTC Web Desk: In a patient-focused measure, the Union Budget 2026-27 has announced the removal of basic customs duty on 17 essential cancer drugs, aiming to reduce the financial strain on patients and families battling the disease. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that this step will make imported cancer medicines more affordable and improve access to life-saving therapies, particularly for treatments requiring specialised or advanced drugs not produced domestically.

“Exempting customs duty on these critical drugs will help lower their market prices, directly benefiting patients undergoing treatment for various cancers,” Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Budget in Parliament. Imported oncology medications often carry significant customs duties, which contribute to higher retail prices. The government expects that eliminating this levy will ease the economic burden on patients, especially those without comprehensive health insurance.

In addition to cancer drugs, the Budget has expanded customs duty relief to cover medicines and foods used for the treatment of seven rare diseases. This provision allows personal imports of specialised treatments and nutritional products to be exempt from import duties, benefiting patients who require niche therapies not available in India. Such measures are particularly relevant for rare disease patients, whose treatments are often imported on a named patient basis due to limited domestic manufacturing.

While the government has not disclosed the full list of drugs under the exemption, officials confirmed that it includes high-cost, widely used cancer medicines.