As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states, Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, provides insight into how biosimilar pegfilgrastims can help reduce costs; however, not all payers are on board.
Increasing the use of biosimilar pegfilgrastims can save patients and practices money as COVID-19 cases continue to surge; however, some payers are still preventing providers from utilizing them, according to Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates.
Transcript:
How is the resurgence of the pandemic in South Carolina affecting your pegfilgrastim prescribing habits?
Patel: We are going to increase use of pegfilgrastim more and more and more. I had a pretty long email chain of a literal argument with one big payer saying that you cannot afford to overlook patient safety at the cost of saving money. And I hate to say this, but a couple of third party pathway companies still have not updated their guidelines, even though NCCN [National Comprehensive Cancer Network], ASCO [American Society for Clinical Oncology], and all the other bodies have recommended that, even for patients who are getting a chemotherapy regimen that carries intermediate risk of neutropenia during the pandemic, they recommend considering use of pegfilgrastim. And, in particular for our area, I think I would look at biosimilar pegfilgrastim, simply because this would be less expensive. But some payers are still giving us a hard time, and what they don't realize is that I'm trying to minimize my workflow interruption and optimize the efficiency. It's just been challenging, but we'll do our best to sustain and see where we go.
Biosimilars Drive Cost Savings and Achieve 53% Market Share Across Treatment Areas
January 16th 2025Biosimilar launches achieve a 53% market share and a 53% reduction in average drug costs after 5 years of biosimilar competition, according to Samsung Bioepis’ most recent market report, showcasing notable pricing trends and market share disparities across therapeutic areas.
Biosimilars in America: Overcoming Barriers and Maximizing Impact
July 21st 2024Join us as we explore the complexities of the US biosimilars market, discussing legislative influences, payer and provider adoption factors, and strategies to overcome industry challenges with expert insights from Kyle Noonan, PharmD, MS, value & access strategy manager at Cencora.
Eye on Pharma: Korean Drugmakers’ Impact in Europe; New Denosumab, Eculizumab Deals
January 11th 2025Korean drugmakers hold over 50% market share in the 6 best-selling biosimilar markets, 2 companies sign exclusive licensing partnership for a denosumab biosimilar, and 2 others join forces for an eculizumab biosimilar.
Biosimilars Oncology Roundup for June 2024—Podcast Edition
July 7th 2024On this episode of Not So Different, we review biosimilar news coming out of June, with clinical trial results from conferences and a study showcasing how to overcome economic and noneconomic barriers to oncology biosimilars.
Top 5 Most-Read Oncology Articles of 2024
December 24th 2024The top 5 oncology biosimilar articles in 2024 cover Duke's recommendations for cell and gene therapy biosimilars, FDA approval of Shanghai Henlius Biotech's trastuzumab biosimilar, Boehringer Ingelheim layoffs, the safety of rituximab biosimilar CT-P10, and more.
Empowering Vulnerable Populations: The Path to Equitable Biologic Therapy Access
December 22nd 2024Elie Bahou, PharmD, senior vice president and system chief pharmacy officer at Providence, discusses strategies to improve equitable access to biologic therapies, including tiered formularies, income-based cost sharing, patient assistance programs, and fostering payer partnerships.