BRIEF—Expensive biologics make EU biosimilar usage crucial, says report

A European trade group has used the publication of an official report to highlight the important role of biosimilar medicines.

The European Commission report, entitled State of Health in the European Union, aims to make health system information, expertise and best practices easily accessible to policymakers and everyone who helps to shape health policies.

Medicines for Europe, a group which represents generic and biosimilar drugmakers, has pointed to the report’s mentions of the need to foster the use of biosimilars specifically, an urgency heightened due to the expenditure rate on biological medicines.

Fluctuations among member states’ adoption of generics and biosimilars are also a major concern identified by the report, Medicines for Europe has said.