Zhangmeng Xu, Luming Qi, Huiwu Zhang, Duoduo Yu, Yushan Shi, Yaming Yu, Tianmin Zhu
Smoking and BMI mediate the causal effect of education on lower back pain: observational and Mendelian randomization analyses
Frontiers in endocrinology
biological products contributed extraordinary advances disease treatments last decade however costsaving potential imitator products socalled biosimilars still underresearched switzerland study aims assess biosimilars prescriptions treatment initiation determinants well biological therapy switches study included patients least one biosimilar available market time prescribed biological product analysed longitudinal data biosimilar prescriptions switzerland using descriptive statistics logistic regression quantify associations individual pharmaceutical providerrelated variables analysis based deidentified claims data patients mandatory health insurance helsana one swiss health insurance companies substantial enrollee base mandatory health insurance overall 18 953 patients receiving least one biological product 2016 2021 identified differentiated initial prescriptions followup prescriptions regression focused initial prescriptions due evidence indicating patients tend follow medication prescribed therapy initiation although biosimilars market share low 286 number prescriptions increased 1016 2016 6976 2021 patients medication switches n1492 85 detected increased relative price difference difference price available biosimilars relative price corresponding reference product associated decreased probability biosimilar prescriptions whereas male sex increase available imitator drugs market larger packaging sizes prescriptions specialists physicians outpatient settings associated increased biosimilar use low number biosimilar prescriptions despite proliferating biosimilar market indicates high potential biosimilar diffusion findings indicate patients typically adhere therapy options initially chosen less inclined make changes following initiation treatment research highlights need awareness initiatives improve understanding among patients physicians enabling informed shared decisionmaking biosimilar prescriptions