Who We Are
The Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines is an organization composed of patients, physicians, pharmacists, biotechnology companies that develop innovative and biosimilar medicines, and others who are working together to ensure that patient safety is at the forefront of the biosimilars policy discussion. It is the mission of ASBM to serve as an authoritative resource center for policy makers, the healthcare community and the general public on the issues surrounding biologic medications around the globe.

 
Our Perspective
Biologics are highly complex, advanced prescription medicines used to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, MS and many other debilitating diseases. Therefore, ASBM believes that the laws governing their approval and regulation must address that scientific reality in order to ensure patient safety. We advocate, internationally as well as in the U.S., for policies that keep medical decisions between patients and physicians; seek solutions that ensure affordability and accessibility of biologic medicines; and avoid confusion while never compromising on patient safety.

For media inquiries please contact: media@safebiologics.org

Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines

PO Box 3691

Arlington, VA 22203

(703) 960-0601

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“With 13 years of experience prescribing biosimilars, Europe’s physicians have become the most knowledgeable and familiar with biosimilars in the world,” said Michael Reilly, executive director of ASBM and poster co-author.“Countries looking to duplicate Europe’s success with biosimilars may look to these results for guidance.”

On September 5th, the Government of British Columbia (B.C.) announced that it would be forcibly switching 1,700 patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) from their current biologic medicine to alternative versions of the treatment, the government’s choice of preferred “biosimilar” products, and cease the reimbursement of their current biologic medicine.

 

The announcement follows a May 27th mandate that 20,700 arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetes patients would be forcibly switched from their existing medicines to the government’s choice of preferred biosimilar products. This forced switching policy was presented as a trade-off for the government’s agreement to grant reimbursement for new innovative medicines, although no new IBD medications have been added to the B.C. public formulary.

 

The policy disregards important scientific considerations for patients on biologic medicines and most alarmingly, eliminates patient choice.

 

“Biosimilar competition and the use of biosimilars can be an effective way to reduce health costs, but potential savings need not, and should not, override patient and physician control of treatment decisions” says ASBM executive director Michael Reilly. “European countries, for example, enjoy robust biosimilar markets and higher uptake rates, yet the vast majority leave the decision on what biologic medicine to use with the treating physician, in consultation with their patient. Switching from an originator to a biosimilar or between biosimilars remains a clinical decision best made by the treating physician.”

 

Higher uptake rates of biosimilars in Europe have been touted by B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix as a rationale for the force-switching policy, but it is important to note that Europe has almost universally rejected forced switching as a cost-control mechanism, says Reilly: “No country in Europe has ceased the reimbursement of originator biologics by a government decree such as that issued in B.C. and only very few countries use a procurement process that will reimburse a single product that wins the bid.” ASBM has twice conducted large-scale surveys of European physicians on biosimilar policy issues.

 

Reilly emphasized the sharp contrast between the unique forced-switching policy of B.C. and biosimilar policies in Western Europe, which are built on the principles of education, competition, and physician autonomy:

 

“Nearly all of Western Europe allows physicians to choose between multiple competing products, while encouraging the voluntary prescribing of biosimilars. Only in Denmark and in a few Eastern European countries do we find forced biosimilar switching policies with physician and patient choice eliminated and only one product reimbursed. Canadian patients deserve first-rate health care; this policy moves them in the opposite direction and we respectfully urge the B.C. government to reconsider it.”

As the government of British Columbia attempts to increase biosimilar use by force-switching 23,000 patients, Europe enjoys high uptake rates while preserving patient and physician choice.