Perspectives toward biosimilars among oncologists: A Malaysian survey

Abstract

Introduction Biosimilars confer significant cost-saving advantages and expand patients’ access to biologic therapies in cancer care. In line with the increasing availability of antineoplastic biosimilars, it is pertinent to understand the oncologists’ view on the adoption of biosimilars in their clinical practice. The study aimed to assess (i) the prevalence of biosimilar use, (ii) perception towards biosimilars, (iii) factors influencing the use of biosimilars and (iv) knowledge about biosimilars among Malaysian oncologists. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical oncologists and medical oncologists in Malaysia between January 2020 and February 2021 using a structured 31-item questionnaire. Results Among the 121 oncologists registered in the country, 36 responded (response rate = 30%). A total of 64% of the respondents prescribed biosimilars either often or always. Most oncologists (72%) agreed or strongly agreed that switching will not have a significant effect on the treatment benefit, with lower percentages saying that they agreed or strongly agreed that it will not lead to the emergence of additional adverse effects (56%) or harmful immunogenicity (64%). Patients’ preferences (40%) and the non-availability of biosimilars in hospitals (34%) are the major barriers cited to the prescribing of biosimilars. Cost differences and robust pharmacovigilance activities are the two most important factors that would influence the prescribing of biosimilars. The mean score of knowledge in biosimilar among respondents was 3.81 (± 0.86) out of a maximum possible score of 6. Conclusions The identified gap in prescribing and the use of biosimilars among Malaysian oncologists warrant educational intervention and robust pharmacovigilance activities to facilitate the prescribing of biosimilars and ultimately increase the accessibility to biologics in cancer treatment.

Factors that Influence Healthcare Professionals' Intentions towards Biosimilars

“…Immunogenicity, indicating a substance’s capacity to stimulate an immune reaction, remains a prominent issue in clinical practice ( Cohen et al, 2018 ). Biosimilars offer a promising solution for healthcare systems to decrease treatment expenses ( Aladul et al, 2018 ) and broaden the availability of biological medicines ( Herndon et al, 2021 ), particularly for patients’ accessibility ( Chong et al, 2022 ).…”

Biosimilar drug lag and evolution in Malaysia: A retrospective analysis of regulatory approvals

“…However, it is unclear how quickly biosimilar approvals have occurred in Malaysia relative to the global situation and how approvals have evolved over the years. Previous studies have focused on the regulatory framework and processes [11,15,16], and stakeholder perceptions of biosimilars in Malaysia [17,18], with little attention to approval dynamics. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the drug lag for biosimilars approved in Malaysia from their approval in the European Union (EU) and to examine the evolution of biosimilar approvals in Malaysia in terms of the number and approval time lag between successive brands of each biosimilar between 4 August 2008 and 31 August 2023.…”

Malaysian Hospital Pharmacists’ Perspectives and Their Role in Promoting Biosimilar Prescribing: A Nationwide Survey

“…The first biosimilar containing somatropin was approved in Malaysia in 2010, and the number of products has increased since then to 38 as of October 2022 [ 21 ]. Although biosimilars are becoming more widely available in Malaysia, to the best of our knowledge, no local study has examined pharmacists’ perspectives on the use of biosimilars, as a prior study [ 22 ] solely addressed the perspectives of Malaysian oncologists. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess Malaysian pharmacists’ perspectives on the use of biosimilars and to identify factors associated with the successful promotion of biosimilars to prescribers.…”