Fri Sep 05 08:01:23 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**Headline: GST Council Slashes Taxes on Medicines in Major Public Health Move**
**New Delhi:** In a significant boost to public health, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has announced sweeping reductions in GST rates on medicines and medical devices. The council has moved to eliminate GST entirely on a crucial list of 33 life-saving drugs and 3 medicines used to treat cancer and rare diseases.
The announcement signifies the government’s commitment to making essential medical treatments more accessible and affordable for the general public. The move is expected to substantially lower the cost of these critical medications, providing much-needed relief to patients and their families.
GST on most other medicines and medical devices has also been reduced.
Finance ministry officials have stated that they believe that lowering the cost of these items will encourage people to purchase these items earlier in the illness process instead of delaying the treatment.
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