Another Canadian province announces a biosimilar switching policy

Biosimilars Canada, a national association representing Canada’s biosimilar medicines industry, welcomes the announcement by the government of Newfoundland and Labrador that it is implementing a “switching” or transitioning policy to expand the use of biosimilar biologic medicines for its public drug program.

Biologic medicines have revolutionized the treatment of many disabling and life-threatening diseases. They can, however, cost $10,000 to $25,000 or more to treat a patient for a year, which is placing an enormous financial strain on drug budgets, the trade body pointed out.

Residents of the province who are enrolled in the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Drug Program (NLPDP) and take certain biologic medicines will need to transition to a biosimilar biologic medicine on or before March 31, 2024 in order to maintain coverage. This will enable the NLPDP to invest in new and innovative drug therapies while continuing to expand access to existing drug treatments.