Biosimilars switching policies for Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon

Biosimilares/General | Posted 04/05/2023 post-comment0 Post your comment

The Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon, become the 9th and 10th Canadian provinces to announce that they are adopting biosimilars switching policies.

Switching V19A17

In Newfoundland and Labrador, residents who are enrolled in the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Drug Program (NLPDP) and take certain biological medicines (originators: Copaxone, Enbrel, Humalog, Humira, Lantus, Lovenox, NovoRapid, Remicade and Rituxan) will need to transition to a biosimilar biologicalmedicine on or before 31 March 2024 to maintain coverage.

In Yukon, those enrolled in Pharmacare or the Chronic Disease and Disability Benefits programmes who take Lantus and Humira, will have six months to work with a healthcare provider to make the transition from their current biological drug to a biosimilar to maintain coverage.

These provinces follow in the footsteps of those who have already adopted such policies, British Columbia (May 2019) [1], Alberta (December 2019) [2], New Brunswick (April 2021) [3], Quebec (July 2021) [4], the Northwest Territories (December 2021) [5], Nova Scotia (February 2022) [6], Saskatchewan (October 2022) [7] and Ontario (December 2022) [8].

As biosimilars are lower cost alternatives to expensive biological therapies, it is hoped that in adopting switching policies, the provinces can make healthcare savings. Switching policies are intended to allow programmes to invest in new and innovative drug therapies while continuing to expand access to existing drug treatments.

Switching from an originator biological drug to a biosimilar is safe and effective and is done under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Health Canada has rigorous standards for authorisation and evaluates all the information provided to confirm that a biosimilar and the reference biological drug are similar and that there are no clinically meaningful differences in safety and efficacy between them. Here, Health Canada notes, ‘patients and health care providers can have confidence that biosimilars are effective and safe for each of their authorized indications, and that no differences are expected in efficacy and safety following a change in routine use between a biosimilar and its reference biologic drug in an authorized indication’ [9]. 

Related articles
Law and ethics of switching to biosimilars in Canada

Praise for Canada’s BC after it adopts biosimilar transitioning policy

LATIN AMERICAN FORUM
The new section of the ‘Latin American Forum’ on GaBI has been launched. The objective of this new section is to provide you with all the latest news and updates on developments of generic and biosimilar medicines in Latin America in Spanish.

View the latest headline article: Avanzar en el desarrollo de medicamentos biosimilares con biomarcadores farmacodinámicos

Browse the news in the Latin American Forum!

Register to receive the GaBI Latin American Forum newsletter. Inform colleagues and friends of this new initiative.

FORO LATINOAMERICANO
Se ha lanzado la nueva sección del ‘Foro Latinoamericano’ sobre GaBI. El objetivo de esta nueva sección es brindarle las últimas noticias y actualizaciones sobre desarrollos de medicamentos genéricos y biosimilares en América Latina en español.

Ver el último artículo de cabecera: Avanzar en el desarrollo de medicamentos biosimilares con biomarcadores farmacodinámicos

!Explore las noticias en el Foro Latinoamericano!

Regístrese para recibir el boletín informativo GaBI Foro Latinoamericano. Informe a colegas y amigos sobre esta nueva iniciativa. 

 

References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Canada’s British Columbia to switch patients to biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/policies-legislation/Canada-s-British-Columbia-to-switch-patients-to-biosimilars
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Concerns raised as Canada’s Alberta plans to switch patients to biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/Policies-Legislation/Concerns-raised-as-Canada-s-Alberta-plans-to-switch-patients-to-biosimilars 
3. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Concerns over Canada’s New Brunswick transition to biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/concerns-over-canada-s-new-brunswick-transition-to-biosimilars
4. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Quebec announces biosimilar switching policy [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/quebec-announces-biosimilar-switching-policy
5. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Northwest territories Canada announces biosimilars switching policy [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/northwest-territories-canada-announces-biosimilars-switching-policy
6. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Nova Scotia Canada implements biosimilar switching policy [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/nova-scotia-canada-implements-biosimilar-switching-policy
7. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Canada’s Saskatchewan province introduces biosimilars switching policy [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/canada-s-saskatchewan-province-introduces-biosimilars-switching-policy
8. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Ontario becomes third Canadian province to switch patients to biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from:
www.gabionline.net/biosimilars/general/Ontario-becomes-third-Canadian-province-to-switch-patients-to-biosimilars
9. Health Canada. Biosimilar biologic drugs in Canada: Fact Sheet [homepage on the Internet]. [cited 2023 May 4]. Available from: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/biologics-radiopharmaceuticals-genetic-therapies/applications-submissions/guidance-documents/fact-sheet-biosimilars.html

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and non-commercial use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Copyright – Unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are © 2023 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.

comment icon Comments (0)
Post your comment
Most viewed articles
Sobre GaBI
INICIO/Sobre GaBI Posted 06/08/2009
EU guidelines for biosimilars
EMA logo 1 V13C15
INICIO/Directrices Posted 08/10/2010