19 medicines exempted from VAT to lower patient costs

Nineteen maintenance and lifesaving medicines have been exempted from value-added tax (VAT), benefiting more patients.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. announced this during a briefing on Thursday, citing the recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Nine medications were included under RMC 59-2025 issued on June 11, 2025, while ten more are covered by RMC 62-2025.

The exempted medicines include treatments for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, mental illness, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and tuberculosis.

Lumagui emphasized that this exemption is a concrete step to lower patients' expenses, as mandated by the CREATE and TRAIN laws.

BIR coordinates with FDA and DTI to monitor compliance among pharmaceutical companies and drugstores regarding these price changes.

The public can file complaints for non-compliance through BIR, FDA, or DTI to ensure that benefits are passed on to people.