Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin appeals Centre to exempt taxes on import of life saving drugs for spinal muscular atrophy

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman to exempt customs duty, integrated GST and any other such taxes on the import of life saving drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy.

 

In a letter to the Finance Minister yesterday, he said that there are 90 to 100 spinal



muscular atrophy cases in the state which needs gene therapy which costs over Rs 16 crore per person. As the therapy is expensive and the drugs are to be imported, customs duty and integrated GST has to be borne by the patient. Hence, he reiterated that a policy to exempt taxes on the life saving drugs was essential.