Officials and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan confirmed the impossibility of applying new taxes to drugs, during a meeting of the Jordanian Pharmacists Association.

The decision, that is expected to come into effect on Sunday, should be suspended, due to the significant importance of drugs, they called. Also, it is priced by the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration, that prevented pharmacies from manipulating prices by providing a price label on each drug.

During the meeting, officials confirmed that it is impossible to change prices of drugs in more than 3200 pharmacies, 500 drugs warehouses, and 20 drug factories, especially as they all have price tags, that cannot be changed within three days.

Representatives of drugs’ factories confirmed that they applied for the governmental tenders that were issued before tax increase but they were not considered, especially that tenders’ prices included the tax.

Earlier this week, the Cabinet announced the main features of the economic measures for the year 2018, under what it called “structural reforms of the tax system’, which aims to achieve stability for economic growth, as claimed.

The resolutions included imposing higher taxes on cars, fizzy drinks, cigarettes, drugs and different types of fuel. Which in turn will increase the prices of transportation, cigarettes and food.

A wave of anger and frustration continued to spread on Wednesday among Jordanians, fuelled by the new governmental reforms.

It led Jordanians to criticize the government’s decision, which many people believe will further increase their living expenses, and in some cases, will not allow some families from affording their daily basic needs.