Docs may be uninformed about biosimilars
(filgrastim-sndz), the first
biosimilar approved in the US
© Sandoz Inc. 2015
WASHINGTON, DC—A survey of roughly 1200 US physicians has revealed gaps in their knowledge about biosimilars.
The results showed that some physicians had difficulty defining biosimilars, did not fully understand how the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves biosimilars, and may not know how to prescribe biosimilars appropriately.
The results were published in Advances in Therapy and presented at the DIA Biosimilars 2016 conference.
The 19-question survey was created by the Biosimilars Forum and conducted by SERMO, a global social network organization for physicians, from November 20, 2015, to January 4, 2016.
Responses were obtained from 1201 US physicians across specialties that are high prescribers of biologics, including hematologist-oncologists, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, nephrologists, and rheumatologists.
Knowledge gaps
The survey revealed 5 major knowledge gaps regarding biosimilars:
- Defining biologics, biosimilars, and biosimilarity1
- Understanding the approval process and the FDA’s use of “totality of evidence” to evaluate biosimilars
- Understanding that the safety profile of a biosimilar is expected to be the same as that of the originator biologic
- Understanding how decisions are made by the FDA for extrapolation2 of indications
- Defining interchangeability3 and the related rules regarding pharmacy-level substitution.
“With 4 biosimilars approved by the FDA and more than 60 in development, the survey highlights the need for greater biosimilars education for physicians and healthcare professionals,” said study author Hillel Cohen, PhD, executive director of scientific affairs at Sandoz Inc.
“Education will help physicians and healthcare professionals have a better understanding and knowledge of biosimilars so that they feel comfortable about administering biosimilars to patients when appropriate.”
FDA approval
Most of the physicians surveyed did not clearly understand the concept of extrapolation as applied to biosimilars. Only 12% of survey respondents said they trust extrapolation of the studied biosimilar indication(s) as the basis to obtain approval of other licensed indications of the originator product.
Almost 60% of respondents correctly understood that, to be approved as “interchangeable” with the originator, a biosimilar must be shown to be safe and effective for back-and-forth switching, with no negative impacts to safety or efficacy.
However, almost 80% of respondents did not agree, or potentially did not realize, that an FDA designation of “interchangeable” may enable a pharmacist to switch between the originator biologic and biosimilar and vice versa.
A little more than half of physicians surveyed knew that, for a biosimilar to be approved, the FDA must find the biosimilar to be equally effective (62.3%) and safe (57.2%) when compared to the originator biologic.
Most physicians surveyed (74.5%) said they trust the FDA’s biosimilar approval decisions.
Biosimilar use
Fewer than half of the survey respondents (44.8%) believed that biosimilars will be safe and appropriate for use in existing patients as well as naïve patients.
Overall, respondents expressed a general agreement that switching an existing patient to a biosimilar may be appropriate, with 9 in 10 (91%) saying they would consider switching a patient from an originator biologic to a biosimilar as an effective alternative to the originator if it would help the patient have better access to his/her medications.
In addition, 82.2% of respondents believed biosimilars will expand treatment options and provide savings to patients and the healthcare system.
“The Biosimilars Forum launched the Partnership for Biosimilar Education and Access to provide evidence-based education for healthcare professionals, patients, and the public,” Dr Cohen said. “The forum will use the survey results to provide education on the key concepts of biosimilars as we advance our mission to encourage awareness, access, and adoption of these important medicines.”
