Kolkata: While the Union govt proposed doing away with the customs duty on 17 medicines in the 2026-27 budget, medicines with reduced prices are likely to be available with drug retailers in the city in two months’ time. However, retailers are confused over the pricing of products in stock and are awaiting the Centre’s detailed orders on that.“Primarily, many of these products are not even sold through retail chains. There are a handful of doctors who prescribe them, and most buy from distributors via the doctor. However, some of the large retailers do sell them,” said Rajendra Khandelwal of Dhanwantary Pharma.“The govt needs to come out with a notice to let us know the dates from which the duties are being exempted. We assume the products with the new price will reach the Kolkata market by the end of March,” Khandelwal said.Most of these medicines are very expensive, and a reduction of duty by around 10% is likely to reduce prices substantially. “Patients who can’t bear the cost of treatment leave it midway. It will be easier for them to complete the treatment now,” said Prithwi Bose, general secretary of Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association. “Ribociclib, used in breast cancer, costs Rs 24,355 for a strip of 21 tablets. A 10% reduction is substantial,” he said.A strip of 14 tablets of Abemaciclib — used in patients where cancer is related to hormones — is sold for around Rs 22,383. Tremelimumab, used to boost the immune system so that the body can fight the cancer on its own, costs Rs 1.8 lakh for 30 tablets (2 mg).“We also need clarification about how the duty component already charged to us is going to be refunded after the govt order is in place. Patients will ask for medicines at reduced prices. But the medicines are so expensive that none of the retailers or wholesalers can absorb the price differential,” said Somnath Ghosh of Metro Pharma.
