Biosimilars Canada has compiled a list of news stories from Canada and abroad about biosimilars that may be of interest to readers. These links to third-party websites are provided for informational purposes only, and do represent an endorsement from our organization. Biosimilars Canada’s statements and news releases are available here.
As of December 15, 2021, only biosimilars to Forteo teriparatide will be reimbursed by the Quebec public drug plan. Patients currently being treated with Forteo have until April 12, 2022 to switch to a biosimilar.
Report by the Generics Bulletin on the addition of insulin lispro and insulin aspart to B.C.’s biosimilar switching policy.
Effective November 30 about 30,000 PharmaCare patients on the rapid-acting insulins Humalog (insulin lispro) and NovoRapid (insulin aspart) will have six months to transition to biosimilar versions.
This Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) presentation to the 2021 CADTH Symposium compares the emerging Canadian market for biosimilars with other jurisdictions and assesses the impact of recent and upcoming biosimilar switching initiatives, highlighting the potential for cost savings.
Peer-reviewed article published in the Canadian Journal of Health Technologies highlights the importance of biosimilar switching policies in curbing sustained growth in pharmaceutical spending in Canada, and avoiding a shift in spending from other public budgets or to private industry and patients.
Report by the Center for Biosimilars on a new ODPRN study which estimates significant savings from biosimilars in Ontario based on mandatory switching programs.