Exempt customs/IGST on drugs for spinal muscular atrophy, Stalin urges Centre

The TN CM, in a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, pointed out that the gene therapy for this genetic disorder costs over ₹16 crore per person, and duties on it further increase the cost

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting the government to exempt customs duty, integrated GST or any other such taxes on the import of life-saving drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Pointing out that the gene therapy for this genetic disorder costs over ₹16 crore per person, Mr. Stalin, in his letter to Ms. Sitharaman, said drugs for this gene therapy were being imported by hospitals for treatment. In Tamil Nadu, annually 90-100 such cases are being reported. “A single dose treatment (Zolgensma) or multiple doses treatment (Spinraza) gene-therapy treatment or Risdiplam oral syrup is expensive and the parents of the children who are affected by the rare disorder find it difficult to meet the cost of the treatment,” Mr. Stalin said in the communication. A copy of the letter was shared with the media.