Breast cancer patients to save up to Rs 10k a month
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Breast cancer patients stand to save up to Rs 10,000 in monthly medical expenses following the Union Budget’s decision to remove basic customs duty on 17 high-cost cancer drugs, including three widely used in breast cancer treatment. The exemption covers Ribociclib, Abemaciclib, and Palbociclib – targeted medicines that slow the growth of cancer cells.
“These breast cancer drugs have become more accessible to middle-class patients after the duty cuts,” said Dr Aju Mathew, consultant oncologist and public health researcher. With these medicines typically prescribed for a three-year period, a monthly saving of Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000 translates into a substantial reduction in overall treatment costs.
Beyond breast cancer, the Budget also extended duty cuts to drugs used in treating blood, lung, and prostate cancers. However, ultra-expensive therapies such as Talicabtagene autoleucel, a CAR-T cell treatment for blood cancer, remain out of reach for most patients due to their prohibitive cost.
A minimum reduction of Rs 60,000 in annual drug expenditure is significant, especially given that rising medical bills often discourage proper follow-up care. “Even a Rs 1 reduction makes a difference for patients,” said Biju A, chief pharmacist at the In-House Drug Bank (IHDB), Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
According to a report by the economic and statistics department, nearly 20% of patients across all conditions resort to borrowing money or selling property to fund treatment. The burden is even heavier in cancer care, where experts estimate that 50% of patients face severe financial distress.
Meanwhile, cancer incidence continues to rise. Data from the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) shows that breast cancer accounts for 34% of cancer cases among women in Kerala. Projections suggest that by 2030, cancer will affect 45,813 women and 43,930 men in the state. The latest Economic Review further highlights that one in seven men and one in nine women face a lifetime risk of developing cancer.
Customs duty on cancer drugs has gradually fallen from 12% to 5%, and now to zero, making them more affordable. Ribociclib, for instance, costs around Rs 50,000 per month.
Dr Mathew emphasised, however, that a truly meaningful reduction will come only when courts allow more companies to manufacture generic versions of these medicines, thereby driving prices down further.
Customs duty removed
The Union Budget has decided to remove basic customs duty on 17 high-cost cancer drugs, including three widely used in breast cancer treatment
The exemption covers Ribociclib, Abemaciclib, and Palbociclib – targeted medicines that slow the growth of cancer cells.
The Budget also extended duty cuts to drugs used in treating blood, lung, and prostate cancers