New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has said that custom duties and charges will not be applied to medicines, drugs, and therapies used for treating rare diseases.
This decision comes as a relief to patients suffering from conditions such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Hunter’s syndrome, amongst others.
Justice Prathiba M Singh, addressing the issue, referred to a gazette notification by the Union Ministry of Finance issued on March 29 of the previous year, which included drugs and medicines for rare diseases under the Customs Act, 1962.
This clarification ensures that patients and hospitals can access necessary treatments without the burden of additional costs.
The court has directed customs authorities to prioritise and expedite the clearance of such medical imports, ensuring that treatments reach patients without delay. This order is to be communicated to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for immediate compliance.
The ruling was part of a hearing concerning petitions for free-of-cost treatment for children with rare diseases, which has been under deliberation since 2020. These treatments, often prohibitively expensive, are crucial for the patient’s survival and quality of life.
Previously, the court had also directed AIIMS to begin procurement of medicines for these conditions, backed by a fund allocation of Rs 50 lakhs per patient, in accordance with the Rare Diseases Policy.
Efforts have been made to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for reasonable pricing of these essential drugs.
The establishment of a five-member committee by Justice Singh in May of the previous year aims to ensure the efficient implementation of the National Policy for Treatment of Rare Diseases, 2017, so that the benefits effectively reach those in need.
–IANS
spr/dan
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
