As of Oct. 1, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) requires that patients fail to respond to both FDA-approved rituximab biosimilars prior to receiving approval for rituximab. Exception: Rituximab-pvvr (Ruxience) is not FDA approved for rheumatoid arthritis.... [Read More]
Search results for: biosimilars
Biosimilars Are Slowly Climbing Toward Acceptance in Rheumatology
As useful stand-ins for biologics targeting a range of inflammatory diseases, biosimilars have made significant inroads across Europe as less expensive alternatives. Denmark, for example, realized a cost savings of 64% after instituting a mandatory national switch from the originator infliximab to its biosimilar counterpart. In the U.S., however, a considerably smaller fraction of rheumatologists… [Read More]
British Columbia Will Be First Canadian Province to Switch Patients to Biosimilars
TORONTO/MONTREAL (Reuters)—The Canadian province of British Columbia said on May 28 that its public drug plan will switch as many as 20,400 patients from three branded biologic drugs to cheap near-copies called biosimilars, saving an estimated C$96.6 million ($71.9 million) over three years. The new policy from the province’s PharmaCare program targets Johnson & Johnson’s… [Read More]
Biosimilars: How Do They Affect Patient Care & Safety?
CHICAGO—“We have got to get over this hump. We have got to try new stuff,” said Jacqueline M. Fritz, RN, MSN, CNS, to the audience gathered on the final day of the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, referring to the subject of biosimilars. Ms. Fritz, the owner and coordinator of education at the Medical Advancement Center… [Read More]
The Science Behind Biosimilars
Although six biosimilar agents have now been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for use in rheumatology, scientific, clinical, economic and prescribing questions about the use of biosimilars abound. In fact, at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego, Joseph Huffstutter, MD, a rheumatologist in private practice in Chattanooga, Tenn., said that… [Read More]
Health Plans Enact Coverage Policies for Remicade & Infliximab Biosimilars
Several major health plans have recently enacted policies regarding coverage status for Remicade (infliximab) and its biosimilars, Inflectra (infliximab-dyyb) and Renflexis (infliximab-abda). Most of these plans are limiting coverage for the biosimilar products to very specific circumstances. Some have also begun denying claims for biosimilars and instructing patients to switch to Remicade. The plans implementing… [Read More]
Biosimilars: Still Waiting for Promise to Materialize
During the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, advances in biosimilar treatments were abuzz. However, many speakers noted that the presence of biosimilars on the market has not yet resulted in greater access to treatment and lower drug pricing in the U.S…... [Read More]
Biosimilars Great Debate: To Switch or Not?
SAN DIEGO—Should patients with rheumatic diseases switch from a biologic to its biosimilar? At the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting’s Great Debate, held Nov. 5, two rheumatologists argued whether to switch or stay put based on safety, efficacy and potential cost savings. First to the podium to make the case for switching, Jonathan Kay, MD, tweaked… [Read More]
CMS Implements Part B Modifiers for Biosimilars
With the advent of biosimilars to the marketplace, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires modifiers to identify the manufacturer of a biosimilar/biological product on Part B claims. Modifiers were put in place to provide the CMS with the necessary data needed to track claims payments, as well as the ability to… [Read More]
2 Biosimilars Make Their Way Toward the European Market
Two biosimilar treatments, Rixathon and Imraldi, are moving closer to market release in Europe for the treatment of rheumatic and other diseases…... [Read More]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 24
- Next Page »