Jeni Got Her Life Back, Thanks to a Biosimilar

Monday October 12, 2020

In 2019, Jeni Doerr finally received a diagnosis for her recent illnesses – pancolitis. Doerr, 35, from Newhall, CA, is featured in AAM’s recently released Generic Drug & Biosimilars Access & Savings in the U.S. report.

In a suburb of Santa Clarita, California, Jeni recently went back to school to become a medical coder (someone who helps doctors and insurance companies speak the same language), and when she is not online learning she is enjoying everything the state has to offer—hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking with her dog Sally. “If you take me outside, I’m a happy girl,” she says. “Illness changed everything.”

“Every time I went to the bathroom,” she recalls, “I would lose blood and I couldn’t eat anything. I became anemic, and after my symptoms got even worse, I finally went to the ER, where I received a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with pancolitis. I felt like I had lost everything.” But once the doctor prescribed a biosimilar, Jeni says, “It was like flipping a light switch. Biosimilars truly gave me my life back!”

***

Related Resources

[Infographic] Alternative to Biologic Medicines

[Videos] AAM Patient Stories

[Blog] Advocacy for Patient Access to Biosimilars

***

FDA-approved biosimilars have the potential to provide 1.2 million patients access to treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, cancer and other chronic conditions, at a lower cost. Over the next ten years, biosimilars could save the entire U.S. health care system $54 billion. Find out more about how biosimilars truly benefit everyone in our infographic.

View Jeni and other patient stories in the 2021 Voices of Access report.

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 on our about page.

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 20 percent of total drug spending.

Stay Informed

Subscribe for Updates

Receive our monthly Biosimilars Bulletin and other important updates on biosimilars in the U.S.

Name*
First Name Last Name *
Email Address*
Email
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get Involved

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:

Save the Date! November 7-9 | North Bethesda, MD

GRx+Biosims is the premier scientific and regulatory event for the generics and biosimilars industry. This year’s conference will be held in-person for the first time since 2019!

Learn More