Uptake of Oncology Biosimilars: Managed Care Strategies to Improve Value-Based Care Systems

In recent years, the cost of cancer care associated with biologics in the United States has increased at an alarming rate, causing some patients to be priced out of treatment. Biosimilars present important opportunities to lower healthcare costs and expand access to care for oncology patients. Oncology indications and supportive care are leading areas in which the use of biosimilars is rapidly expanding, but it is necessary that clinician and prescriber knowledge increase at the same rate. Multiple factors have caused delays in the incorporation of oncology biosimilars into clinical practice, spanning from legislative restrictions to poor acceptance and misconceptions about biosimilars' safety and efficacy, which ultimately influence their formulary placement, pricing, and contracting. With improved treatment protocols and therapeutic advances increasing survival rates of patients with cancer and necessitating extended treatment courses, the spotlight has never shone more directly on the importance of incorporating biosimilars into cancer treatment paradigms. Projections estimate that biosimilars will continue to drive price reductions through competition, both with reference agents and among other biosimilars. However, their success depends on consistent use, input from policymakers, and acceptance by patients and prescribers, providing key opportunities for pharmacists to emerge as leaders in biosimilar adoption and education.