The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 3, 2016.

THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep concern that 76 life saving drugs have been taken off the customs duties exemption list. This gazette notification by the government has made these drugs more expensive. These drugs include anti-cancer, anti-AIDS and drugs for haemophilia patients.

The government’s reasoning is that this would protect the domestic drug companies. Now the prices of life saving drugs for patients dependent on imported drugs will rise by at least 22 percent. Worse is that where there are no domestic alternatives, patients have to rely on imported drugs alone. This will lead to severe economic hardships.

The CPI(M) demands that the government should reconsider this decision.