Practice

Clinical trials leading up to biosimilar approval may not reveal the full safety and efficacy profile of biosimilars vs reference products, and postmarketing studies may be essential to elucidate any differences, investigators said.

Patient preferences play a large role in the effort to get biosimilars into the mainstream of therapeutics, and education is often a struggle, panelists said at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2020 Virtual Annual Conference.

The alternative payment model (APM) doesn’t perfectly balance the competing interests of revenue growth and value-based care, but it has been a learning tool, panelists said at Virtual ISPOR 2020, the annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.

Harmonized efforts across global borders and among stakeholders are needed to generate and build acceptance of real world evidence (RWE) to actively aid in health care decision making, panelists said at Virtual ISPOR 2020, the annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.

A retrospective study of physician surveys on biosimilars demonstrated that understanding physician attitudes toward biosimilars is crucial to improving uptake of these agents.

Although the totality of the evidence is reassuring, the jury is still out on nonmedical switching to biosimilars, according to new study results.

The reasons for biosimilar brand preference in a recent rituximab study were unclear, but investigators said it is clear that savings were a likely factor.

One only needs to look at Europe to see the future, says a pharmacy expert, who sees the US payer landscape moving to greater biosimilar adoption in 2020.

A retrospective, postmarketing study demonstrates higher incidence of joint and bone pain, neutropenia with certain filgrastim biosimilars, compared with Neupogen.

A New Zealand study of patients with rheumatic conditions suggests that providers need to be mindful of patient attitudes toward biosimilars to prevent biased therapy choices and poor outcomes.

Jeenal Patel, PharmD, BCGP, a formulary manager for WellDyne, said pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and employers are increasingly turning to formulary exclusions to control the rising cost of drugs.

Although the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a burden on the economy and the healthcare system in particular, Kashyap Patel, MD, believes that the crisis will likely speed up biosimilar uptake in the United States.

Posters presented at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) eLearning Days meeting this week from April 20 to 24 reveal important data on biosimilar utilization management, switching, and affordability.

A panel of experts discusses the rising class of biological agents and why clinical pharmacists need to deepen their knowledge.

Patients in an Australian clinic were generally open to using biosimilars but knew little about them, according to a recent study.

A percentage of oncology pharmacy practitioners report their guidance on biosimilars is influential with clinicians, but many feel their knowledge of biosimilars is deficient in a number of important areas.

In partnership with Samsung Bioepis, Merck has launched the trastuzumab biosimilar Ontruzant, which marks the fifth trastuzumab biosimilar available on the US market.

The Boston Medical Center Health System (BMCHS) of Massachusetts was able to achieve high adoption rates for biosimilars based on experience with a “nonbiosimilar.”

Surya Singh, MD discusses how education efforts have reduced providers’ doubts surrounding the similarity between biosimilars and their reference products at the March 2020 FDA/Federal Trade Commission workshop on anticompetitive practices.

The introduction of biosimilars as anticancer therapies was preceded by a period of supportive care biosimilars. Lee S. Schwartzberg, MD, FACP, describes how he and other clinicians decide which of these agents to use.

Cancer treatments can lead to unpredictable adverse events, so a COVID-19–related measure allowing home infusion jeopardizes patient health and safety, according to the Community Oncology Alliance (COA).

The Danish medical system saved 82.8% on adalimumab by switching almost all patients from the reference product to biosimilars, but such a benefit for the US healthcare system may not be possible, according to a new study.

Oncologist/hematologist Lee S. Schwartzberg, MD, FACP, describes some important considerations for using biosimilars in clinical practice.

Biosimilar companies may do themselves a disservice if they produce education materials that don’t address the needs of clinicians or blatently self-promote, according to Kathy Oubre, chief operations officer at Pontchartrain Cancer Center of Louisiana.

There are multiple distinctions in labeling indications between biosimilars and brand products, and pharmacists must become familiar with these to be of maximum service to patients and physicians, according to a review.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines may help get biosimilars into circulation because the NCCN will recommend them for off-label uses.

In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), biosimilars have been available for roughly 5 years, but more evidence may be necessary to persuade medical community to increase usage, according to a study.

Canadian provinces encounter opposition in their move to implement forced switching of patients from reference products to biosimilars.

When providers get used to biosimilars, they tend to prescribe them exclusively, according to a study in The American Journal of Managed Care.

A gentle, persuasive effort to get patients and physicians to adopt biosimilars is likely to work better than a heavy-handed approach, say Canadian investigators, who recommend more study of how mindsets and prescribing practices are changed.