EGA has long been pushing for an increased focus on generics and biosimilars in Europe. Despite the fact that Europe accounts for 80% of global spending on biosimilars, uptake varies significantly between different countries, and has been lower than expected overall. For example, in Italy biosimilars account for 5% volume per capita, and even in Germany, which has shown the highest acceptance in Europe biosimilars account for only around 33% [1].

Generic medicines, on the other hand, save EU patients and healthcare systems over Euros 35 billion each year and account for 54% of all dispensed medicines but for only 21% of the pharmaceutical expenditure in Europe.

There are therefore still major savings to be made from increased use of biosimilars in Europe. A study by the Germany-based Institute for Healthcare and Social Research (IGES) found potential savings of Euros 11.8 – Euros 33.4 billion from substituting reference biologicals with biosimilars in eight EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and UK) from 2007 to 2020 [2].

The EGA conference highlighted three main issues:

• The EU biosimilars and generics industries need sustainable markets so they can invest in high technology manufacturing facilities and thereby create more jobs.
• The economic crisis requires the expansion of biosimilars and generics to help governments manage rising healthcare costs.
• The EU needs to adopt an advanced manufacturing provision to enable producers of biosimilars and generics to export to growing emerging markets.

EGA also stated that it ‘is ready to partner with EU governments to develop a European industrial strategy to spur manufacturing, create skilled jobs and improve access to high quality medicines for Europeans’.

Related article

Removal of barriers for the global development of biosimilars

References

1.  GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. European uptake of biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2013 Oct 17]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Reports/European-uptake-of-biosimilars

2.  Haustein R, de Millas C, Höer A, Häussler B. Saving money in the European healthcare systems with biosimilars. Generics and Biosimilars Initiative Journal (GaBI Journal). 2012;1(3-4):120-6. doi: 10.5639/gabij.2012.0103-4.036

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