PCDA against 18pc GST on alternative medicines

KARACHI: The Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) strongly opposes the newly imposed 18pc GST on alternative medicines, demanding its immediate withdrawal and warning of 20-25pc hike in prices of these essential drugs. 
PCDA leaders Ghulam Hashim Noorani and Abdul Samad Budhani met with Fayyaz Magon, Senior Vice President of FPCCI, urging concerted efforts to reverse the GST decision.
PCDA representatives argue that alternative medicines, including herbal and homeopathic remedies, serve as crucial options for the middle class and are not subsidized by the government. They cautioned that the GST imposition would not only inflate prices but also adversely affect importers, traders, and retailers, potentially disrupting the supply chain and leading to a nationwide scarcity of medicines.
The association proposed that either subsidies and concessions should be granted  to the pharmaceutical sector or alternative medicines be completely exempted from GST, additional taxes, and withholding taxes for non-filers. 
They called for urgent amendments to the Finance Bill and the issuance of a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) to exempt medicines governed under the DRAP Act and Medical Device Act from taxes.
The association warned that failure to rescind these taxes would significantly hike medicine prices, making them inaccessible to the general public, severely impacting public health.