Which Cancer Drugs Became Cheaper In Budget 2026: Cancer patients have got great relief in Budget 2026-27. The government has announced exemption from basic custom duty on 17 important medicines used in the treatment of breast cancer, lung cancer, blood cancer, prostate cancer and some rare and cancers. This decision has brought relief to those patients who depend on long-term and expensive treatment. Most of these medicines are part of modern cancer treatment. These include medicines related to immunotherapy, targeted therapy and cell-based treatment. This decision taken in the Budget 2026-27 is being considered an important step towards making healthcare more affordable and reducing the financial burden of patients on imported life-saving medicines.

What does custom duty exemption mean?

Custom duty is the tax that is imposed on goods coming to India from abroad. When this tax is removed on cancer drugs, their total cost automatically reduces. In simple words, now hospitals and companies will not have to pay basic custom duty on importing these medicines, due to which patients can get these medicines at lower prices than before.

Higher expenses for cancer treatment

Cancer treatment often lasts for a long time and the cost also keeps increasing. In such a situation, even a small reduction in the price of medicines can prove to be a big relief for patients and their families. This step of the government shows that in the Budget 2026-27, along with cancer, mental health has also been kept at the center of the country’s health policy.

Prices of which medicines reduced?

1. Ribociclib

2. Abemaciclib

3. Talycabtagene autoleucel

4. Tremelimumab

5. Venetoclax

6.Ceritinib

7.Brigatibine

8.Darolutamide

9. Toripalimab

10. Serplulimab

11. Tislelizumab

12. Inotuzumab ozogamicin

13. Ponatinib

14.Ibrutinib

15. Dabrafenib

16.Trametinib

17. Ipilimumab

What are the benefits of reducing the prices of these medicines?

These drugs are widely used in the treatment of advanced cancer and in many cases prove to be life-saving for patients. Experts believe that by removing custom duty on these medicines, the government has clearly indicated that reducing the cost of healthcare is one of its priorities. Although the overall treatment of cancer is still expensive, this decision is being seen as a positive initiative towards reducing the out-of-pocket expenses of the patients.

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Cancer is becoming a major health problem in India. Every year lakhs of new patients are emerging and a large number of people are dying due to cancer. It is a matter of concern that cancer cases are expected to increase rapidly in the coming years.

Till now, better cancer treatment facilities in the country have been mostly limited to big cities. Patients from villages and small districts have to repeatedly travel to metros for treatment. This not only makes treatment expensive, but also increases the burden of time, employment and mental stress. Keeping this problem in mind, the government has planned to start cancer day-care centers at the district level, so that patients can get the necessary treatment near their homes.

How many cancer day-care centers in the country?

In the Union Budget 2025, the government had announced that cancer day-care centers will be opened in hospitals in every district of the country. The aim of these centers is that patients do not have to go far for daily cancer treatment. According to the government plan, it was proposed to start 200 new cancer day-care centers in the year 2025-26. Later 297 new centers were approved. According to the Health Ministry, by the end of the year, 364 cancer day-care centers were already functioning in the country. Of these, 75 new centers have been started. Now altogether 439 cancer day-care centers are functioning in the country.

What are Cancer Day-Care Centers?

Cancer day-care centers are such treatment centers where the patient does not need to be admitted, the patient can get the treatment and return home on the same day. These centers are generally designed as units with 10 beds. These centers are attached to big cancer hospitals or medical colleges and work under their guidance.

What facilities are available in these cancer day-care centres?

According to the Health Ministry, patients in these centers get many essential services, such as chemotherapy (same day treatment and discharge), pre-cycle assessment, monitoring of side effects after chemotherapy, consultation, counseling for mental and emotional support, management of pain and other symptoms, follow-up care after treatment. Most importantly, all these services are provided under government health schemes, so that there is no additional financial burden on the patients.

What will be the benefit to patients?

The government says that getting treatment at the district level will provide many benefits to the patients. For example, the need to travel to big cities will reduce, loss of employment and wages during treatment will reduce, money spent out of pocket will reduce, the problem of leaving the treatment midway will reduce, and chances of completing the treatment will increase. Experts believe that getting treatment nearby increases the confidence of patients and they are able to get treatment regularly.

Which states are ahead?

According to government data, these centers are working well in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Kerala. Telangana has started all its 27 approved centres. Centers are being opened in other states also in a phased manner. According to a study, the average cost of a single OPD visit is around Rs 8,000. The average expenditure on hospitalization is around Rs 39,000 and the annual direct expenditure of a cancer patient is around Rs 3.3 lakh. In such a situation, free or cheap treatment at the district level can prove to be a great relief for the patients.

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