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

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.

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].

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

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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

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