Introduction of Biosimilar Rituximab: A Hospital Perspective

Abstract

Early adoption of biosimilars is desirable to maximize the financial benefits, expand patient access to biologic medicines, and encourage a competitive marketplace. There is a growing body of experience, from multiple European countries, demonstrating that this is achievable with biosimilar rituximab.16 We have found horizon scanning to identify patent expiry of reference products and the expected availability of biosimilars is the key to local preparedness, allowing sufficient time for stakeholder engagement and project planning: introducing a biosimilar into a hospital is less straightforward than a generic medicine. Broadly, there are 3 possible approaches when faced with continually rising healthcare costs. Matching the costs with increased expenditure is unsustainable, and rationing access to treatments is undesirable. The third approach is to increase efficiency by delivering the same healthcare benefits with less resource, and biosimilars are here to stay as a crucial part of achieving that ambition.