All Routes To Healthcare Efficiency Include Biosimilar Medicines

Latest data shows the potential benefits of biosimilar medicines & the action needed to achieve them

Biosimilar medicines have multiple long term benefits, but policy makers need to act immediately to maximise these, according to new IQVIA data.

The annual report, titled ‘The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe’ describes the evolution in price, volume, and market share following the arrival of biosimilar competition in Europe. In a series of observations by IQVIA, biosimilar medicines have shown to deliver benefits and efficiency where and when they are used effectively. Primary among the benefits are increased healthcare systems efficiency and access to biologic medicines for more patients. Among the challenges still to be addressed are barriers to biosimilar medicines competition and persistent access gaps in some European countries. As recently highlighted in the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, barriers to biosimilars competition must be removed and their use optimized, so patients can access the medicines they need.

The latest data brings to life the recent recommendations in the ‘Country Scorecards for Biosimilar Sustainability’. These detail how efficient the policies of 12 European countries are in encouraging healthy competition versus an ‘ideal policy’ scorecard. This is a ready-made tool for policy makers to deliver healthcare efficiency.

Commenting on the launch of the IQVIA report, Chair of the Biosimilar medicines sector group of Medicines for Europe, Isabell Remus said: It is always a highlight for us to see how biosimilar medicines make health systems more sustainable year on year benefiting more patients. In the post COVID-19 era -more than ever- health systems across Europe urgently need to seize the full potential of biosimilars for earlier, broader and sustainable access for patients. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver the promise of the Pharmaceutical strategy for Europe for equal uptake of biosimilar across Europe.

The IQVIA report ‘The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe’ is to be presented at a European Commission webinar on 9 December 2020, 14:30-16:00 CET. The webinar is available at this link: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/webinar-on-the-impact-of-biosimilar-competition-in-europe.