One particular challenge highlighted by Dr. Worthing is getting biosimilars into formularies governed by private insurers and PBMs. For Dr. Worthing, getting biosimilars into the U.S. market as soon as possible is critical to ensure affordable, high-quality drugs for people with chronic diseases, and getting them onto formularies essential.
Overall, he underscored the importance of biosimilars to help control drug prices and access to care. “I would humbly submit that the one thing we and our patients can do right now about drug prices is to become more comfortable with biosimilars,” he says.
ACR at Work
The ACR developed its set of principles to encourage federal officials to consider those drug pricing policies that will safeguard access to high-quality medicines for patients, particularly those with chronic diseases for whom access mandates affordability.
The ACR plans to formally respond by mid-July to the American Patients First Drug Pricing Blueprint.
Mary Beth Nierengarten is a freelance medical journalist based in Minneapolis.
Resources
- American College of Rheumatology. ACR Principles on Prescription Drug Prices and Access to Treatment. https://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/ACR-Principles-Prescription-Drug-Prices-and-Access-to-Treatment.pdf.
- S. Department of Health & Human Services. American Patients First. 2018 May. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/AmericanPatientsFirst.pdf.
