October 12, 2023
For Immediate Release
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND EXPANDING USE OF BIOSIMILARS
Arthritis Consumer Experts supports Prince Edward Island’s efforts to make public drug plans more sustainable, expand coverage for new treatments and improve patient access to medications
(Vancouver, B.C.) — Prince Edward Island is the latest Canadian jurisdiction to expand the use of biosimilar medications with the implementation of biosimilar transition policy, which moves patients from certain originator biologics to the biosimilar versions. Prince Edward Island follows British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon to implement transition policy.
Starting October 12, 2023, people covered under PEI Pharmacare program will begin switching to a biosimilar version for certain biologic medications, including some insulins and medications used for treating inflammatory arthritis, diabetes, plaque psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. Patients are encouraged to discuss switching at their next appointment with their health care provider. Pharmacare beneficiaries will have until June 30, 2024, to work with their health care providers to transition to a biosimilar version of their originator medication. Health PEI and Government of PEI will continue to work with partners, including physicians, pharmacists, and manufacturers to ensure a successful transition.
Commenting on the transition policy, Kilby Rinco, Health PEI Director of Provincial Pharmacy Services, PD&T Co-Chair, said: “This switch will allow PEI to optimize the use of public resources, invest more in new and innovative therapies and continue to grow the list of publicly funded medications while improving access and affordability for all Islanders. Patients and health care providers can be confident that the quality, safety, and patient benefits of biosimilars are highly similar to the original biologic drugs based on the Health Canada framework.
“Prince Edward Island’s announcement to expand the use of biosimilars will help ensure continued reimbursement coverage for patients with inflammatory arthritis who transition to a biosimilar biologic. Biosimilars are as effective and safe as originator biologics but are available at a much lower cost. Patients and prescribers should feel confident about the transitioning and that their government will reinvest savings into their healthcare system, especially at this time when resources to maintain and improve patient care are urgently needed,” said Cheryl Koehn, Founder and President, Arthritis Consumer Experts.
During the transition period in Prince Edward Island, people living with inflammatory arthritis are encouraged to discuss a transition plan with their rheumatologist. Both prescribers and their patients should be fully informed and have all available information about the biosimilar medicine, such as details about the reimbursement policy, patient support program information, including contact names and phone numbers.
Biosimilars are new versions of medicines that are made when patents and data protection expire for originator biologic drugs. Biosimilars undergo the same robust and rigorous approval process by Health Canada and to be approved in Canada, a biosimilar must be proven to be highly similar to its originator, with no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety and efficacy. Biosimilars have been approved for use in Canada since 2009. Fifty-two biosimilars are currently approved by Health Canada.
Patients can find additional information at:
- Prince Edward Island Biosimilars Initiative website
- Arthritis Consumer Experts: Biosimilars•Exchange website
- Arthritis Consumer Experts: Biosimilar Biologics Patient Guide
Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) is a national organization that provides free, science-based information and education programs to people with arthritis. ACE serves people living with all forms of arthritis by helping them take control of their disease and improve their quality of life through education and empowerment. Founded and led by people with arthritis, ACE also actively advocates on arthritis health and policy issues, through ACE’s JointHealth™ family of programs and the Arthritis Broadcast Network, directly to consumers/patients, health care professionals, media and government. ACE is guided by a strict set of guiding principles, set out by an advisory board comprised of leading scientists, medical professionals and informed arthritis consumers.
ACE and its team members acknowledge that they gather and work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples - xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
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For further information, please contact:
Kelly Lendvoy
Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs
Arthritis Consumer Experts
lendvoy@jointhealth.org
Tel: 604.379.9898
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.