Are suppliers prepared for biosimilars? – Healthcare Economist

Maybe extra training is required. That’s the conclusion from a paper by Giovatto et al. (2024). The authors carried out a web-based survey of US prescribers and well being system specialty pharmacists training within the rheumatology, dermatology, and gastroenterology. Among the many 31 prescribers and 44 pharmacists who responded to the survey:

Solely 16.0% of prescribers and 13.4% of pharmacists reported being “very ready” to have conversations with sufferers about biosimilar choices. 43% of prescribers indicated they’d prescribe a biosimilar to biologic naive sufferers. Nonetheless, 13.3% of prescribers can be keen to prescribe a biosimilar to sufferers efficiently established on biologic remedy. Amongst pharmacists, 68.1% have been comfy recommending a biosimilar substitution to a biologic naive affected person, however solely 18.1% would suggest a biosimilar substitution to an current affected person efficiently established on a biologic remedy. Lower than half of prescribers (48.0%) and pharmacists (42.0%) understood laws of interchangeability and substitution.

The total paper is right here.