Australia’s unilateral move on biosimilars substitution slammed

The decision announced on Friday by the Australian government that would allow clinicians and pharmacists to give patients themselves the option of substituting cheaper biosimilar version of a biological medicines (The Pharma Letter June 19) has come in for a great deal of criticism, both locally and more vociferously in the USA.

The chief executive of the trade group Medicines Australia, Tim James, told a Senate committee the move was "out of step" with the rest of the world….On biosimilars and across our health care system, notions of safety first, of do no harm and of putting into practice, the precautionary principle should always come first," he said, adding that more research was needed.

“Retrograde” move could put Australian patients at risk, says ASBM