January 31, 2023
Bloomberg Law recently published an article where Rena Conti, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, discusses the efforts of Humira’s competitors to reduce the drug price point for arthritis patients who rely on it for pain relief.
There are set to be at least eight biosimilars to Humira in 2023, and patient savings will depend on health insurance, patience for drug development, and the commitment of patients to switch to these alternatives. With 1.4 million people taking Humira, some experts believe that patients may be reluctant to switch to an alternative drug for their condition. Other experts believe that patients will gladly switch over for affordability reasons.
Rena emphasizes this point, adding that, “It is common to see over the first six months or a year after a launch for consumers and payers to slowly switch over to the biosimilar or generic competitor.”
If consumers are educated by physicians on the alternatives being affordable, safe, and effective, they may be more inclined to choose biosimilars.