Brussels, Belgium

Good biosimilar medicine policies balance the benefits of multi-source competition, volume uptake which increases patient access, and price discounts that generate savings. By acting decisively to tailor policies to local needs, governments and authorities can free up healthcare resources to improve access and make healthcare systems more sustainable. 

The Country Scorecards for Biosimilar Sustainability launched today by the IQVIA Institute and the Biosimilar Medicines Sector Group of Medicines for Europe analyses the pros and cons of biosimilar policies in 12 countries – Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Specifically, the scorecards assess the level of competition, price evolution and volume development for seven key biologic molecules – adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, insulin glargine, insulin lispro, rituximab and trastuzumab – in each of the 12 countries.

The project also includes a detailed sustainability check, in areas such as regulatory environment and clinical guidelines, awareness and education, incentives, pricing rules and dynamics, and purchasing mechanisms. Positive policy elements are specified for each country, as well as challenges and solutions. Furthermore, an ideal scorecard describes how effective policy measures can deliver a competitive and sustainable market.

With numerous reports showing that patient treatment regimens for diseases such as cancer and arthritis have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, biosimilar medicines offer hope to deliver timely, standard of care to a broader group of patients.

Commenting on the launch of the report Adrian van den Hoven, Director General of Medicines for Europe said “This IQVIA Institute report is a helpful guide for policy makers to deliver sustainable access to biologic medicines. While the report shows that policy measures should be tailored to national contexts, the report provides clear recommendations on how measures can be combined and adapted to deliver effective results.  Our ambition is to use this guide to improve sustainable access to biosimilar medicines across Europe.”

Murray Aitken, Executive Director of the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science said “We are pleased to collaborate with Medicines for Europe in developing these scorecards that convey the progress that has been made in establishing biosimilar medicines as a meaningful contributor to healthcare sustainability across Europe.  The importance of biosimilar medicines’ role is greater than ever, and the systematic tracking of their contribution is a critical means for policymakers and stakeholders to measure progress and achievement of goals for patients and the entire health system.”

To access the full report, please visit this page. 

The Biosimilar Medicines Group is a sector group of Medicines for Europe representing the leading companies developing, manufacturing and/or marketing biosimilar medicines across Europe. With more than 10 years of positive patient treatment experience and over 20 products successfully launched, biosimilar medicines provide today a huge opportunity to deliver significantly improved access to modern therapies for millions of European patients in both chronic and acute care. Our members bring competition to the biological medicines market, thereby increasing access to highly innovative treatments to patients, in Europe and around the world, and supporting the sustainability of the European healthcare systems.