Biosimilar medicines have multiple long term benefits, but policy makers need to act immediately to maximise these, according to new IQVIA data.

The annual report, titled ‘The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe’ describes the evolution in price, volume, and market share following the arrival of biosimilar competition in Europe. In a series of observations by IQVIA, biosimilar medicines have shown to deliver benefits and efficiency where and when they are used effectively. Primary among the benefits are increased healthcare systems efficiency and access to biologic medicines for more patients. Among the challenges still to be addressed are barriers to biosimilar medicines competition and persistent access gaps in some European countries. As recently highlighted in the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, barriers to biosimilars competition must be removed and their use optimized, so patients can access the medicines they need.

The latest data brings to life the recent recommendations in the ‘Country Scorecards for Biosimilar Sustainability’. These detail how efficient the policies of 12 European countries are in encouraging healthy competition versus an ‘ideal policy’ scorecard. This is a ready-made tool for policy makers to deliver healthcare efficiency.

Commenting on the launch of the IQVIA report, Chair of the Biosimilar medicines sector group of Medicines for Europe, Isabell Remus said: It is always a highlight for us to see how biosimilar medicines make health systems more sustainable year on year benefiting more patients. In the post COVID-19 era -more than ever- health systems across Europe urgently need to seize the full potential of biosimilars for earlier, broader and sustainable access for patients. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver the promise of the Pharmaceutical strategy for Europe for equal uptake of biosimilar across Europe. 

The IQVIA report ‘The Impact of Biosimilar Competition in Europe’ is to be presented at a European Commission webinar on 9 December 2020, 14:30-16:00 CET. The webinar is available at this link: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/webinar-on-the-impact-of-biosimilar-competition-in-europe password SANTE

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 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.

Medicines for Europe represents the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries across Europe. Its vision is to provide sustainable access to high quality medicines, based on 5 important pillars: patients, quality, value, sustainability and partnership. Its members directly employ 190,000 people at over 400 manufacturing and 126 R&D sites in Europe, and invest up to 17% of their turnover in R&D investment. Medicines for Europe member companies across Europe are both increasing access to medicines and driving improved health outcomes. They play a key role in creating sustainable European healthcare systems by continuing to provide high quality, effective generic medicines, whilst also innovating to create new biosimilar medicines and bringing to market value added medicines, which deliver better health outcomes, greater efficiency and/or improved safety in the hospital setting for patients. For more information please follow us at www.medicinesforeurope.com and on Twitter @medicinesforEU.