Budget provides customs duty exemptions for three cancer treatment drugs

Budget provides customs duty exemptions for three cancer treatment drugs

Subject: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

Union government has continued its emphasis on tackling non-communicable diseases, and allocating funds for research in the healthcare sector, with Finance Minister announcing customs duty exemptions on three cancer treatment drugs — Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab.

More about News:

• Changes in the BCD (basic customs duty) on X-ray tubes and flat panel detectors for use in medical X-ray machines under the phased manufacturing programme.
• Total outlay for the health sector was ₹89,287 crore, amounting to 85% of the budget expenditure, marginally up from 1.76%.
• The government is also set to operationalise the Anusandhan National Research Fund for basic research and prototype development.

Cancer drugs:

The three cancer drugs namely Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab are used for different tumor types viz:-

1. Trastuzumab Deruxtecan – Breast Cancer
2. Osimertinib – Lung Cancer

• Durvalumab – Lung Cancer and Biliary Tract Cancer

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan:

• Trastuzumab is a type of targeted cancer drug called a monoclonal antibody.
• Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ those differences that help a cancer cell to survive and grow.
• It is a treatment for cancers that have large amounts of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).

Osimertinib:

• To treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients who have certain types of abnormal epidermal growth factor (EGFR) genes.

Durvalumab:

• Durvalumab is used alone or with other drugs to treat adults with certain types of
• Biliary tract cancer (including bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer)
• Endometrial cancer
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer)
• Non-small cell lung cancer