Policy

The Top 5 Biosimilars Articles for the Week of September 16

September 20th 2019

The Center for Biosimilars® recaps the top stories for the week of September 16, 2019.

As Pelosi Drug Pricing Plan Unfolds, AARP Report Shows 12 Straight Years of Rising Costs

September 20th 2019

By Allison Inserro

On the same day that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, unveiled her plan to lower drug prices by giving the United States the ability for Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices and seek rebates from drug makers if their prices soar above inflation, a new AARP report shows that retail prices in 2017 were 2.1% above the general inflation rate and marked 12 straight years of price increases.

AHIP Report Cites Reference Biologics as Examples of Orphan Drug Gaming

September 17th 2019

By Allison Inserro

While acknowledging the role that the Orphan Drug Act had in incentivizing drug companies to develop treatments for small populations suffering from rare diseases, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) says pharmaceutical companies are using orphan drug status to create blockbuster drugs that are then used to treat other common medical conditions.

Postmarket Barriers to Biosimilars Cost $2.2 Billion Since 2015, Says Biosimilars Council

September 17th 2019

By Kelly Davio

The Biosimilars Council, a part of the Association for Accessible Medicines, has issued a second component of its recent white paper on barriers to biosimilars in the United States; the newly published segment highlights postmarket barriers to biosimilar adoption and says that they have taken a significant toll on the US healthcare system in terms of lost savings.

In Antitrust Case Over Remicade, J&J Wins the Right to Arbitration

September 16th 2019

By Kelly Davio

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has sided with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and its Janssen division, requiring a dispute between the Remicade maker and Rochester Drug Cooperative to be sent to arbitration.

Patients With Rheumatic Diseases Face Substantial Hurdles in Accessing Treatment, ACR Says

September 16th 2019

By Kelly Davio

While it is well understood that timely access to treatment is key for the management of rheumatic diseases, respondents to The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2019 Rheumatic Disease Patient Survey reported difficulty accessing and paying for their therapies in the past year.

Innovator, Biosimilar Drug Makers Double Down on Donations to Lawmakers

September 14th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Kaiser Health News, in its latest update to its campaign contributions tracking tool, reports that Senator Chris Coons, D-Delaware, received the most contributions from the pharmaceutical industry during the first half of 2019, at $103,000. Coons, together with Senator Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, who himself received $102,000 this cycle, released a draft of a patent reform bill in May, and concerns among drug makers about the eventual passage of that bill have run high.

ICER to Assess Treatments for Ulcerative Colitis, Including Biosimilar Infliximab

September 14th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) said this week it will review the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of therapies for ulcerative colitis, including the reference infliximab product from Johnson & Johnson and biosimilar infliximab from Pfizer.

Draft Pelosi Plan Targets Drugs Lacking Biosimilar or Generic Option

September 12th 2019

By Allison Inserro

While chances of her leaked plan to force lower drug prices in the United States getting through the Republican-controlled Senate are extremely small, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, put biosimilars, including insulins, into the national conversation this week.

Patients With IBD Upset With British Columbia Switching Program

September 10th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

Patient organizations for those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are upset with the government of British Columbia for a plan to shift patients to biosimilars over the next 6 months.