Do you expect to use more biosimilars in the future?
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Click here to read the cover story, "Biosimilars have yet to make an impact in ophthalmology"
Undoubtedly, cost can be a barrier to optimal anti-VEGF treatment in the United States and around the world.
The burden of retinal disorders is increasing. In fact, cases of age-related macular degeneration are estimated to be 196 million globally but estimated to increase to 288 million by 2040. Therefore, cost-effective biologic therapies are needed.
Biosimilars are becoming a well-established treatment option not only in retina but in other areas of medicine. They can improve access to care, increase the number of options available to providers and patients, and lower costs. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recognizes the potential societal value of biosimilars for improving care of patients with eye disease.
Through a stringent approval pathway, the FDA assures us that a biosimilar is as safe and effective as the reference biologic and labels the product as such. Biosimilars increase choice in the marketplace, resulting in realized and projected savings to the health care system in the tens of billions of dollars. Therefore, the uptake of biosimilars is steadily increasing not only in retina but other areas of medicine.
It should be noted that the Affordable Care Act helps encourage biosimilar use by ensuring Medicare Part B reimburses physicians for biosimilars at the biosimilar’s average sales price plus a 6% add-on of the reference biologic’s average sales price. Incentives such as this are surely drivers of the increasing biosimilar use we have observed over the past few years.
Given the above, my prediction is that the use of biosimilars in our practices will steadily continue to increase.
- References:
- The use of biosimilars in ophthalmic practice - 2022. https://www.aao.org/education/clinical-statement/use-of-biosimilars-in-ophthalmic-practice. Published January 2022. Accessed July 31, 2024.
- Wong WL, et al. Lancet Glob Health. 2014;doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(13)70145-1.
- For more information:
- Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD, a Healio | OSN Retina/Vitreous Board Member, is the Shui-Chin Lee Endowed Professor, ophthalmologist-in-chief and chair, director, fellowship in the diseases and surgery of the retina, macula and vitreous, department of ophthalmology and visual science, The University of Chicago.
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