A MEDICINE for hypertension has been delisted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the updated list of Value-Added Tax (VAT)-exempt health products.
Based on FDA Advisory 2026-0065, the drug product Bosentan has been deleted from the list.
"The pharmacologic category of the drug product 'Bosentan' is an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) with an approved indication for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapy, which is not synonymous to systematic hypertension," said the FDA.
On the other hand, the health regulatory agency has included in the list 69 health products that shall be exempt from VAT.
"This is in line with Philippine government’s continuing efforts to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare," said the FDA.
Included in the list are those for cancer, namely, Abiraterone, Abiraterone Acetate, Cyclophosphamide, Cytarabine, Eribulin Mesylate, Ibrutinib, Imatinib, Lapatinib, Methotrexate, Paclitaxel, Sunitinib, Vincristine, and Vinorelbine.
Diabetes medicines covered are Dapagliflozin, Enavogliflozin, Metformin, Tirzepatide, Metformin hydrochloride + Gliclazide, and Vildagliptin + Metformin.
The FDA also listed high cholesterol medicines such as Fenofibrate, and Rosuvastatin (as calcium) + Ezetimibe.
Among hypertension medicines, listed are Atorvastatin (as calcium) + Perindopril (as arginine) + Amlodipine (as besilate), Cilnidipine, and Hydralazine hydrochloride.
The agency said it will also list down medicines for mental illness, such as Brexpiprazole, Escitalopram Oxalate, Sertraline, Sertraline hydrochloride, and Vortioxetine.
The agency listed Delamanid, which is medicine for tuberculosis.
"Updates to the list of VAT-exempt health products shall take effect upon the date of publication of the FDA Advisory," said the FDA. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)