Manila: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced an update to its list of medicines that are exempt from value-added tax (VAT), a significant move aimed at making essential treatments more affordable for Filipinos.
According to Philippines News Agency, the updated list, detailed in Advisory No. 2025-0498, includes new medicines targeting hypertension, cancer, mental illnesses, tuberculosis, kidney diseases, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Among the newly added medicines for cancer treatment are Bortezomib 3.5 mg Powder for Injection, Docetaxel Concentrate for Solution for I.V. Infusion, and Lenvatinib Hard Gelatin Capsules. For diabetes, Saxagliptin combined with Dapagliflozin Film-Coated Tablets are now VAT-exempt.
The FDA's announcement aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to reduce the cost of medicines and make them more accessible to the population. This initiative is also in compliance with Section 12 of Republic Act 11534, also known as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, which seeks to lower taxes on health products.
The FDA has called upon the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, and the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure the swift and effective implementation of these tax benefits for all Filipinos, emphasizing the importance of these measures in enhancing public health access.
