Carmen Hall: 'Despicable' Govt should axe GST off quality of life meds

Pāpāmoa's Paul Cherry is advocating for GST to be removed from quality of life medicines like his Enzalutamide. Photo / Andrew Warner

COMMENT

GST is painful especially when the cost of living and other everyday expenses have skyrocketed.

I can't see the Government removing it anytime soon and calls for it to be taken off fresh fruit and vegetables have also failed.

But what about when it involves life-preserving medicine which isn't publicly funded?

That is the dilemma for Pāpāmoa's Paul Cherry who has spent $212,000 on Enzalutamide to help him fight his "incurable" prostate cancer diagnosis.

Every 28 days the 76-year-old forks out $5500.

Cherry acknowledges he was in a fortunate position to pay for the drug however he could only afford the treatment for another two years. After that, he would start chemotherapy which would be the "final part of the journey".

He also says there are other treatment options available, but Enzalutamide would allow him to have "a better quality of life for a longer time".

Now the retiree is taking a stand and is gearing up for another battle.

If the Government did not charge Cherry GST, he estimated that could buy him another two months of treatment. Part-funding of even $1000 would give him almost two-and-a-half months extra.

He wants the GST axed.

"If people who are legitimately paying for drugs [that] could help them to keep a quality of life, is it right that we should be charged GST?'' Cherry says.

However, a spokesperson for the Minister of Finance says there are no plans to make changes to GST and there are better ways the Government can help target need.

The written statement from the ministry says GST exemptions are complex, create distortions and would take some time to implement.

In my view, this is despicable. I believe medications like Cherry's should be exempt from GST and it is extremely cruel that he and others are expected to pay up.

I can only imagine what it is like living with a terminal illness let alone having to pay GST on top of medicine that is giving you the quality of life and no doubt some peace of mind.

The GST exemption's complex explanation is a cop-out in my opinion and designed for this reason — the too-hard basket.

Prostate Cancer Foundation chief executive Peter Dickens says with limited funded treatment options in New Zealand, many with prostate cancer are faced with the stark reality of finding money for treatment or facing a "significantly reduced" survival rate.

Pharmac director of operations Lisa Williams says it was assessing a funding application for Enzalutamide for treating prostate cancer.

I hope this spells good news for Cherry.

I also hope the Government fronts up and removes the GST because in my opinion it's heartless and misery money.