Key Factors for Successful Uptake of Biosimilars: Europe and US

• Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS from 2002-2005 Biosimilars Working Group ASBM is also a member of the Canadian Biosimilars Working Group: Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines Canadian Council of the Blind Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders Canadian Society of Intestinal Research Crohn’s and Colitis. [...] • Notably, as familiarity and comfort with biosimilars increased, so did the importance to physicians of maintaining control of treatment decision. [...] Physicians should have the freedom to choose between off-patent originator biologicals and available biosimilars and to act in the best interest of their patients based on scientific evidence and clinical experience. [...] Switching to biosimilars has also been conducted extensively in Europe, where countries have had over 15 years of experience with biosimilars.” “Biosimilars are just as safe and effective as the originator versions, as demonstrated by the experiences in British Columbia, Alberta and Europe.” What Are the Experiences of Patients in Europe, British Columbia, and Alberta? We Don’t Know- That’s the Pr. [...] Canadian Physician Groups Opposed Non-Medical Switching “Non-medical switching in patients being treated • Canadian Gastroenterologists issued with a reference biologic is generally not accepted statements opposing forced-switching by learned societies and the consulted clinicians.” policies enacted in Alberta and British – “Safety of switching biologics and their interchangeability”, Columbia.