Bold Move To Embed Biosimilar Switching Aims To Bring Savings Of Up To £300m For NHS England
Executive Summary
NHS England has produced a new framework intended to increase the use of biosimilars and generate savings of £200-300m on the drugs bill each year by 2020/21. An initial focus will be AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab) and Roche’s Herceptin (trastuzumab), which are due to face biosimilar competition in the UK soon. Biosimilars firms have welcomed the move, but the R&D-based industry believes the savings targets set out in the document are unrealistic.
You may also be interested in...
Not Just Herceptin Biosimilar: Additional 12 Drugs Set For EU Marketing Approval After CHMP Nod
New treatments for plaque psoriasis and ovarian and prostate cancer join the first Herceptin biosimilar and several other products in garnering recommendations for EU marketing approval at September's meeting of EMA's key scientific committee, the CHMP. No decision was taken on Roche’s new MS drug, Ocrevus, and earlier negative opinions of three other products were upheld.
Biosimilar Confidence And Knowledge Needed In Europe, Say Experts
European biosimilar market penetration varies widely across the EU member states and disease groups, with different government policies on promotion, purchasing and communication leading to mistrust. The European Commission is looking to boost confidence in biosimilars to support their uptake on a much wider scale across Europe, and to get a bird's eye view of what is driving or hindering the EU market for biosimilars.
Denmark Planning To Impose Drug Stockpiling Obligations From July
A new bill is intended to address the increase in medicine supply problems in Denmark in recent years.