Sales tax on Anti Retro Viral (ARV) drugs

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I am a Pharmacist working in the Christian Medical College & Hospital in

Vellore, Tamil Nadu.

Even though, many government sources claim that Government has waived sales tax

on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) drugs with a view to minimize the cost incurred

by the PLHAs, it is not uniformly implemented or not implemented at all.

Still I am fighting with tax department to withdraw the sales tax on ARTS. I

have 2 years evidence of the sales tax payment of these drugs. This month also

we paid the sales tax on ARTS

So I am trying send this message to the higher authorities through this

FORUM..

More than 6 HIV medicines are levied sales tax: Abacavir, Lopinavir, Ritonavir,

Didanosine, Nelfinavir, Indinavir etc. have 10.5% sales tax. If this tax is

reduced, patients will get huge benefit. So kindly, take some immediate

action to cut down the sales tax and reduce the AIDS drug cost further and

include the second line regimen also in a tax reduction.

Regards

Raj Kumar

e-mail: <rajkumarcmcvellore@...>