Advocates Warn Adoption of Biosimilars in New NB Plan Could Hurt Patients – New Brunswick | The Canadian News

Joleen DeGrace, 43, of New Brunswicker, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2004.

Inflammatory disease causes your immune system to attack your gut.

Being on sick leave for the past three years, she says it has had a huge impact on her life.

“Especially when I’m in a fit or I’m not feeling well. I’ve missed appointments, I’ve missed work, I’m in the hospital multiple times, ”DeGrace tells Global News. “If I’m in a fit, I’m there for two to three weeks at a time, it affects the way I’ve eaten over the years, it affects the way I plan my daily life.”

The New Brunswick government’s deadline to cover original biologics is looming, but she says the measure might not work well for everyone.

DeGrace takes Stelara, a newer biologic that doesn’t have a biosimilar available so it’s not directly affected, says she had to go through several biologics to find what works.

“I’ve been taking all the biologics over the years,” he says. “I’m pretty much the last that is available to me right now.”

As announced in April, New Brunswick’s drug plan will cover biosimilars and will no longer cover the more expensive biologics starting November 30.

“Increased use of biosimilars is expected to save more than $ 10 million once fully implemented and the savings will increase as more biosimilars become available,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard in a press release. in April.

“Biosimilars have been shown to work as safely and effectively as biologics. Savings from increased use will be reinvested to support coverage of new therapies and improve patient access to more medications. “

According to the province, spending on biological medicines “constitutes a part of [New Brunswick’s] higher spending on drugs. “

It says the cost grew 19 percent in 2019-2020, to $ 63.8 million.

The Health Department said it consulted with doctors and that there are about 3,000 people covered by the province’s drug plan living with conditions like inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and psoriasis that will need to make the switch.

But Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is calling on the government to delay the measure until after the pandemic, warning it could be a difficult transition for some.

While acknowledging that it is a “low risk” measure, Dr. Eric Benchimol, president of the organization’s scientific and medical advisory council, says that one in 11 patients who switch from biologics to biosimilars “will experience more symptoms.”

“I think that what is not taken into account in that amount of savings of millions of dollars is, in the first place, obviously, the stress in the patient,” he says, “but that tension and that anxiety that the patient feels is also giving lead to more health care visits and potentially more emergency room visits and hospitalizations. “

He is concerned about the potential referral of immunosuppressed patients to an already overwhelmed health care system.

“I think it’s important that we can continue to fund our public health system,” he says. “These drugs are very expensive and are costing each and every province a lot of money.”

“Patients and healthcare providers can trust that biosimilars are effective and safe for each of their licensed indications.” a statement from the Health Canada website He says.

“No differences in efficacy and safety are expected after a change in routine use between a biosimilar and its reference biological drug in a licensed indication.”

But Benchimol says that “there are some patients in whom it is not a good idea to change, that it is not worth shaking the boat” completely.

The province says exceptional coverage can be requested for those deemed medically incapable of switching.

Alberta and BC have made similar moves.

Patients who start taking a drug under Nova Scotia Pharmacare’s plans would only be approved for biosimilar versions, but a spokesperson says patients can stay with the breakthrough brand if they have already been prescribed.