Strategies for Effective Biosimilar Education, Adoption

Ivo Abraham, PhD, RN, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomic Research at the University of Arizona Cancer Center discussed educational tools that could help physicians overcome biosimilar adoption hesitancy, in an interview with The Center for Biosimilars^®.

Abraham cites instances of successful, collaborative educational approaches and emphasizes their importance for targeted learning. However, he cautions that concerns about biosimilars, rooted in fear, may persist as an obstacle.

This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.

Transcript

Physician knowledge and acceptance are crucial for biosimilar adoption. What targeted education strategies can we implement to overcome potential physician hesitancy towards biosimilars?

The reality is that today, 2024, most clinicians, and I think it goes beyond physicians, it also includes clinical pharmacists, nurses, have perhaps not accepted, but are dealing with the reality of biosimilars and the fact that they're here to stay and the payers will decide whether biosimilars and the extent to which biosimilars are adopted.

We need to look at models, not just education, but at models of good collaboration. For instance, what Ryan Haumschild [PharmD, MS, MBA] at Emory has done, basically he sat down, I've heard him tell the story. He sat down with the medical staff and put together a model of clinical pharmacists, nurses, and physicians working together.

Yes, there will always be still some lingering reluctance or fear mongering. I think in part that is a generational issue. I would say that most clinicians now in cancer care, immunology, or immune related diseases, are very familiar with the reality of biosimilars.

It's not a matter of really advocating further, those who are going to dig in their heels are going to dig in their heels, but they're going to be overrode because prior authorization will not be granted if you are not within the formulary. The payers are for better or for worse, the key driver here.