Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has urged the government to exempt the national pharma industry from imposition of RGST to save poor patients. Newly elected Chairman of PPMA Haroon Qasim, while addressing a press conference along-with PPMA Vice Chairman Khawaja Shah Zaib, zonal chairman Dr Kaiser Waheed and former President Zahid Saeed, said presently, the pharma industry is exempted from GST as is the case all over the world.
He pointed out that the ministry of health also, in its summary, has recommended government to exempt pharma industry from GST to ensure that drug prices are not increased. Qasim feared that with the imposition of reformed GST, the prices of drugs will be increased in accordance with the rate of sales tax and this hike will be passed on to end user who, unfortunately, is the poor patient.
He mentioned that previous governments, twice in the past, tried to impose GST on drugs but withdrew the decision after a strong opposition. This time, they will face similar opposition from the masses, he added. PPMA chief further said that reformed GST would badly affect pharma industry growing at a rate of 13 percent. He urged the government to make pharma industry as zero rated industry like other sectors if, at all, it is committed to impose sales tax on drugs under reformed GST.
He said pharma industry exported medicines worth $200 million to 60 countries last year, showing a growth of 34 percent over 2008. He urged the government to devise a drug policy for the industry, as no good drug policy is currently available in the country.-PR