most likely to mention the delay of biosimilar medicines due to legal/international ‘concern over patent compared to 25% of specialists and 17% of pharmacists). issues’ (38%, Pharmacists felt the biggest barriers were price related overall (69%), and specifically the of incentives for patients to use biosimilar (61%), as well as patient ‘absence medicines’ outcomes overall (although pharmacists were less likely to mention this than other stakeholders), with half mentioning about adverse outcomes for my ‘concern patients’ (50% compared with 61% of specialists and 64% of GPs). Table 6: Potential barriers to prescribing/dispensing biosimilar medicines General Community Specialists practitioners pharmacists (n=128) % (n=56) % (n=64) % Patient outcomes total 94 89 69 – Concern with the availability / 71 63 31 transparency of the evidence used to support indication extrapolation Concern about adverse 61 64 50 outcomes for my patients Immunogenicity concerns 57 34 22 Concern over the strength of 53 45 28 pharmacovigilance activities Information related - total 72 93 70 Insufficient information on 59 89 50 biosimilar medicines for Insufficient information on 54 59 58 biosimilar medicines for patients (and for specialist survey - and stakeholders) Price related - total 34 32 69 Absence of incentives for 25 16 61 patients to use biosimilar medicines Absence of incentives for 23 27 17 physicians to prescribe biosimilar medicines Absence of incentives for - - 33 pharmacists to dispense biosimilar medicines Other - total 44 43 38 see the need to 33 18 13 I don’t change what I prescribe/dispense Concern over the delay of 17 38 25 biosimilar medicines due to legal / international patent issues
most likely to mention ‘concern over the delay of biosimilar medicines due to legal/international patent issues’ (38%, compared to 25% of specialists and 17% of pharmacists). Pharmacists felt the biggest barriers were price related overall (69%), and specifically the ‘absence of incentives for patients to use biosimilar medicines’ (61%), as well as patient outcomes overall (although pharmacists were less likely to mention this than other stakeholders), with half mentioning ‘concern about adverse outcomes for my patients’ (50% compared with 61% of specialists and 64% of GPs). Table 6: Potential barriers to prescribing/dispensing biosimilar medicines Specialists (n=128) % General practitioners (n=56) % Community pharmacists (n=64) % Patient outcomes – total 94 89 69 Concern with the availability / transparency of the evidence used to support indication extrapolation 71 63 31 Concern about adverse outcomes for my patients 61 64 50 Immunogenicity concerns 57 34 22 Concern over the strength of pharmacovigilance activities 53 45 28 Information related - total 72 93 70 Insufficient information on biosimilar medicines for 59 89 50 Insufficient information on biosimilar medicines for patients (and for specialist survey - and stakeholders) 54 59 58 Price related - total 34 32 69 Absence of incentives for patients to use biosimilar medicines 25 16 61 Absence of incentives for physicians to prescribe biosimilar medicines 23 27 17 Absence of incentives for pharmacists to dispense biosimilar medicines - - 33 Other - total 44 43 38 I don’t see the need to change what I prescribe/dispense 33 18 13 Concern over the delay of biosimilar medicines due to legal / international patent issues 17 38 25