April 03, 2002
'31'
NINE ANTI-RETROVIRAL DRUGS EXEMPTED FROM EXCISE DUTY
With the objective to bring down prices of Anti Retroviral Durg, the Government has decided to exempt nine Anti Retroviral Drugs from central excise duty. The drugs includes Lamivudine, Stavudine, Didanosine, Saquinavir, Ritonavir, Indinavir, Efavirenz, Nelfinavir and Nevirapine. Another drug, Zidovudine is already exempted from excise duty.
The steps taken by the Government will bring down the cost of Anti Retroviral therapy for the management of HIV/ AIDS patients. The revised prices of Anti Retroviral Drugs' Combination Therapy after exemption of central excise duty will be approximately as follows:
S.No. |
Commonly used Combinations of Anti Retroviral Drugs (Dose as prescribed |
Current Cost Per Month (Rs) |
Reduced Cost Per Month After Excise Exemption (Rs) |
1. |
Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Nevirapine |
1600 |
1200 |
2. |
Lamivudine + Nevirapine + Stavudine |
1800 |
1602 |
3. |
Didanosine + Stavudine + Nevirapine |
3900 |
3471 |
4. |
Lamivudine +Zidovudine + Efaviranz |
5280 |
4723 |
5. |
Lamivudine + Stavudine + Indinavir |
8130 |
7284 |
6. |
Lamivudine + Zidovudine + Indinavir |
8880 |
7951 |
7. |
Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Saquinavir |
13140 |
12000 |
8. |
Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Ritonavir |
24000 |
20000 |
The State Governments will be requested to exempt these drugs from Sales Tax and Octroi duties to bring down the prices further in the market.
Under the National AIDS Control Programme, drugs for the treatment of various opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS, such as, TB, Pneumonia, Diarrhoea, Skin manifestations etc. are provided free of cost to HIV/AIDS patients in Public Sector Hospitals in the country. Funds are provided by the Government of India to State AIDS Control Societies for this purpose. However, treatment with Anti Retroviral Drugs was not provided under this programme because these drugs are of prohibitive cost and need for expensive laboratory tests regularly for monitoring the side effects and progression of disease in patients of HIV/AIDS on Anti Retroviral Drugs, further increases the cost of treatment.