CONTEXT: Opinion piece on RWE supporting the use of biosimilars in oncology.
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1. “Providers and health care institutions are going to need a lot more real world data on how patients respond to various biosimilars and switches between biosimilars and reference products, according to a varied panel of private practice, academic hospital, and group purchasing organization experts in a discussion at the Community Oncology Alliance virtual Community Oncology Conference 2021.”
2. “But their confidence in biosimilars can be strained when multiple versions of a single reference product start to appear and they are tasked with making the right choices for their patients.”
3. “A lot of issues arose, such as whether patients should be asked for fresh consent before they are prescribed a biosimilar after having been on a reference product, and if a patient’s condition is stable on a reference product, is it really wise to “rock the boat” and prescribe a biosimilar?”
4. “And further, following a new diagnosis of metastatic disease, should patients be started on a biosimilar instead of the reference product?”
5. “At OHC, providers are now using biosimilars in practically 100% of situations when it comes to trastuzumab, rituximab, and supportive care products, such as growth factors for the control of neutropenia in patients treated with chemotherapy products, Broun said.”
Source URL: https://www.centerforbiosimilars.com/view/coa-panel-says-confidence-rests-on-real-world-data