agra as the controversy on the botched oxygen supply at a gorakhpur hospital rages it turns out that while the gst on most lifesaving drugs has been kept at 5 per cent it has been fixed at 18 per cent on medical oxygen which perhaps is the most vital life saver in emergencies and critical carewhat is intriguing is that while earlier there was only 5 per cent vat on medical oxygen it has gone up by 12 per cent in the new gst regime dubbing this anomaly as absurd dr kk agarwal president of indian medical association ima said that they would certainly take up this matter with the authorities medical oxygen is a critical lifesaving commodity so there is no logic to keep the gst so high on it he said adding that the government should have thought about thisinox air products one of the suppliers for cylinders and liquid oxygen to medical institutes across the nation told toi that earlier there was an exemption on excise tax 125 so only 6 percent vat in maharashtra was being charged however this has shot up to 18 percent now senior business development manager of the company in mumbai umesh potphode said that this is a critical lifesaving commodity and hence should have least or no tax on itchairperson of medical trader welfare association agra puneet kalra said that there is no tax on fertility products like condoms and 5 percent on life saving drugs including cancer medicines insulin etc but medical oxygen has been clubbed with supplements like protein powders multi vitamins etc which have 18 per cent gst on themmedical superintendent of jn medical college aligarh prof haris manzoor khan said they will be soon receiving the first stock of oxygen liquid and cylinders post gst and they would be increasing the rates for patients using it so far we have not raised any rates but since we would have to pay more we would recover the cost from the patients he said adding that entire hospital budget has affectedwhen contacted incharge of oxygen supply of sn medical college dr sc jain said that they have received the bill for the supplies with the new gst rates and the same has been sent to finance controller and any hike to the patients would be effected after his comments however he too accepted that this is an essential medical commodity and thus the tax on it should not be that high