4 days ago
10 more meds for diabetes, cancer, other illnesses added to VAT-free list
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added more medicines for cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness in its list of drugs exempted from value-added tax (VAT).
Under FDA Advisory No. 2025-0510 dated June 4, the FDA included two medicines for cancer, two for diabetes, one for high cholesterol, two for hypertension, and three for mental illness.
For cancer, the medicines included in the VAT exemption are:
Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium capsule (20 mg/5.8 mg/19.6 mg)
Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium capsule (25 mg/7.25 mg/24.5 mg)
For diabetes, the following medicines are exempted:
Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin extended-release tablet (as hydrobromide hydrate) (1 g/20 mg)
Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin extended release tablet (as hydrobromide hydrate) (500 mg/20 mg)
The following is included for high cholesterol:
Atorvastatin (as calcium) + Fenobribrate film-coated tablet (20 mg/160 mg)
For hypertension, the following medicines are included:
Metoprolol tartrate + Ivabradine film-coated tablet (as hydrochloride) (50 mg/5 mg)
Metoprolol tartrate + Ivabradine film-coated tablet (as hydrochloride) (25 mg/5 mg)
Meanwhile, the following are the medicines included for mental illnesses:
Lamotrigine dispersible/chewable tablet (5 mg)
Lamotrigine oral dispersible tablet (25 mg)
Lamotrigine tablet (25 mg)
Meanwhile, the FDA removed the medicine Baricitinib (2 mg and 4 mg) for cancer from the list. —Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News
