Biosimilars Basics for Patients (from APhA)

This brochure is an original publication of the American Pharmacists Association – a Biosimilars Council partner – and the full document can be access by clicking the button immediately following the excerpt provided below. 

Advances in medicine have changed the way many diseases are treated. Increasingly, diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and even asthma are being treated with biologic medications. Biologic medications are able to target the causes of diseases in ways that were not previously possible, allowing patients to live healthier, more active lives. Today, hundreds of millions of patients worldwide have used biologic medications to treat various diseases and have benefited from the improved results.

This brochure describes biologic medications and a type of biologic known as biosimilars, which are highly similar to biologics but may be less expensive for patients. The information is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health care treatment options.

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 23 percent of total drug spending. Additional information is available at www.accesiblemeds.org.