Biosimilars - the Brexit of the pharmaceutical industry?
In this article, Senior Consultant Jenna Earl explains what factors influence the uptake of biosimilars in the UK, comparing them to the same principles that help us navigate the complexities of Britain exiting the EU (Brexit).
Despite
availability of biosimilars for nearly a decade, uptake in the UK is still
lagging behind other EU markets, leading to the recent formation of the British Biosimilars Association (BBA) - part of the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA).
Biosimilars
are undoubtedly a hot topic for providers of branded biologic medicines,
biosimilar suppliers themselves, and the payers, healthcare professionals and
patients involved in biologic treatment. Much like the EU referendum, they
feature regularly in the news - with spectators waiting anxiously, in some
cases eagerly, for a change that could alter the treatment landscape for
several significant therapy areas.
To
understand the factors influencing the uptake of biosimilars you could apply
the same principles as you would to navigating the complexities of Britain
exiting the EU (Brexit).
1. Control is in the
hands of the people
Britain's
relationship with the EU will be decided by a referendum, placing the decision
in the hands of the people. In the UK, the decision to prescribe a biosimilar
is still largely down to the healthcare professional (HCP) but, if this were to change, impact on
biologic markets could be dramatic.Despite NICE recommending
biosimilars ahead of branded biologics in several disease areas, this does not
appear to be happening in clinical practice. The next step for governing bodies
to ensure biosimilars are prioritised in the treatment pathway is substitution,
replacing a branded biologic with its corresponding biosimilar at point of
dispensing; a move that would result in a huge uplift in biosimilar use.Arguably,
the reason this hasn’t happened yet is that the financial gain generated by
such a move does not yet outweigh the repercussions of reducing the role of the
HCP in such an important decision. But with increasing pressure on the NHS to
make cost savings and expect greater value from treatments, this could change
in the future.
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