In a recent study, researchers designed an intervention centered on communication and led by nurses to address discontinuation rates among patients who had switched to a biosimilar. The nurses’ insight and experience reduced the nocebo effect during the intervention, which had an 84% retention rate for patients taking a biosimilar after one year.
U.S. Insurers Often Limit Biosimilar Coverage
(Reuters Health)—U.S. commercial health plans only covered biosimilar treatments as preferred products in 14% of coverage decisions last year, according to an analysis of publicly available data on coverage decisions.1 Researchers examined records from the Tufts Medical Center Specialty Drug Evidence and Coverage (SPEC) database, which has information on coverage decisions made by 17 of…
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…
Infliximab-abda Becomes 5th Biosimilar Approved in the U.S. & Abaloparatide Approved for Osteoporosis
The FDA has approved infliximab-abda, a biosimilar for treating multiple rheumatic diseases, as well as abaloparatide for treating postmenopausal women with osteoporosis…