Drugs made overseas to be tax-free

Pharmaceuticals made overseas, including cancer drugs and traditional Chinese medicines, will be exempt from import taxes starting May 1, as part of a package of polices to improve drug access and public health in China.

The move comes just over a week after the central government released measures to boost the production and clinical application of generic drugs to help lower the cost of medical bills.

The State Council, which announced the exemptions after an executive meeting on Thursday, also said the value-added tax on the production and import of drugs will be cut by a large amount, a decision experts say will be even more effective in easing patients' financial pressures.