House panel calls for exempting medications from tax

AMMAN — The Lower House’s Economic and Investment Committee on Tuesday recommended the exemption of medications from the 4 per cent general sales tax.

The committee also recommended that the same tax be decreased from 16 to 4 per cent on dietary supplements and cosmetics, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The recommendations were made during a meeting, led by head of the committee Kheir Abu Saalik, which tackled the procedures taken by the Ministry of Health to revise the prices of medications.  

Abu Saalik said the meeting resulted in several recommendations that will contribute to lowering the prices of medication, which will be forwarded to the government for implementation. 

It called for increased monitoring over pharmacies that commit violations, as well as over medical equipment, according to Petra. 

The panel recommended that the Jordan Food and Drug Administration be provided with the necessary human resources to enable it to continue upholding its responsibilities. 

A number of MPs attending the meeting highlighted the need to subsidise medications and the necessity of founding a clear pricing system for dietary supplements and cosmetics, calling for lowering the number of medication distribution rings.