Biosimilars: achieving long-term savings and competitive markets

Abstract

Payers need to think strategically in medium/long term to maximize benefits from biosimilars. Concerns about their interchangeability/substitution (with their reference product) and uncertainty about outcomes act as barriers for their uptake. We recommend a policy which provides: (1) incentives for budget holders to use safe and effective lower-cost products; (2) market support to collect real world outcomes evidence to increase prescribers' confidence in biosimilars.