Are biosimilars safe?
Dr. Sameer Awsare, Internal Medicine Physician and Associate Executive Director at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, sat down with the Biosimilars Council to talk about biosimilars, their benefits and the hurdles to adoption in the United States.
Dr. Awsare works closely with patients who are directly impacted by the promise of biosimilars. His knowledge of the industry and work with Kaiser Permanente – a leader driving the adoption of biosimilars – gives him a unique perspective on this important issue.
TRANSCRIPT
Are biosimilars safe?
Dr. Sameer Awsare: “This is a really good question. It is absolutely safe for a patient to switch from a biologic to a biosimilar because their qualities are similar. They actually work for the same kind of condition and their purity is the same and they’ve actually been tested for the same kinds of conditions. We have studies from all over they world and we find that patients have the same kind of benefits whether they are on the original biologic or the biosimilar.”
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About AAM
AAM is driven by the belief that access to safe, quality, effective medicine has a tremendous impact on a person’s life and the world around them. Generic and biosimilar medicines improve people’s lives, improving society and the economy in turn. AAM represents the manufacturers and distributors of finished generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, manufacturers and distributors of bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic industry. Generic pharmaceuticals are 90 percent of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. but only 22 percent of total drug spending.
About the Biosimilars Council
The Biosimilars Council, a division of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), works to ensure a positive environment for patient access to biosimilar medicines. The Biosimilars Council is a leading source for information about the safety and efficacy of more affordable alternatives to costly brand biologic medicines. Areas of focus include public and health expert education, strategic partnerships, government affairs, legal affairs and regulatory policy. More information is available at www.biosimilarscouncil.org.
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The Council is involved in a number of events that focus on advancing biosimilars in the United States. Click on one below to learn more:
February 3–5, 2024 | Amelia Island, MD
Access! 2025 will bring together policymakers, influential speakers and industry leaders to chart the future of generic and biosimilar medicines. Discussions center around the business, breakthroughs and politics that shape our industry. Register now