• Center on Health Equity and Access
  • Clinical
  • Health Care Cost
  • Health Care Delivery
  • Insurance
  • Policy
  • Technology
  • Value-Based Care

Senators Enquire on Policy for Biosimilars

Article

Within a week of Sandoz applying for approval of it's biosimlar to Amgen's Neupogen, U.S. senators want the FDA to lay down guidelines on naming these drugs.

One week after the FDA received its first request to approve a biosimilar medicine, a handful of U.S. senators has asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human services when a formal policy will be adopted for naming these medications.

Their missive was sent just as the World Health Organization suggested a new proposal for naming biosimilars, which are designed to emulate brand-name biologics and are forecast to save billions of dollars in health care costs.

At issue is whether biosimilars should be given the same International Proprietary Name, or INN, as brand-name biologics. The WHO oversees the global INN system, but individual regulatory agencies in each country are not bound by the latest WHO proposal.

As we have noted previously, the naming debate is particularly contentious and has divided the pharmaceutical industry, which has been lobbying the FDA to chart a course. A central focus of the debate is whether different INNs would hamper substitution needed for lowering health care costs.

Original report: http://on.wsj.com/1tSZlAX

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Related Videos
Leslie Fish, PharmD.
Judith Alberto, MHA, RPh, BCOP, director of clinical initiatives, Community Oncology Alliance
Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and vice president for Well-Being for All Teammates, Advocate Health
Will Shapiro, vice president of data science, Flatiron Health
Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and vice president for Well-Being for All Teammates, Advocate Health
Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and vice president for Well-Being for All Teammates, Advocate Health
Will Shapiro, vice president of data science, Flatiron Health
Jonathan E. Levitt, Esq, Frier Levitt, LLC
Judy Alberto, MHA, RPh, BCOP, Community Oncology Alliance
Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and vice president for Well-Being for All Teammates, Advocate Health
© 2024 MJH Life Sciences
AJMC®
All rights reserved.