November 2019

Biosimilars: Further steps taken by British Columbia and Alberta

British Columbia

In September 2019, the Government of British Columbia added two major medical conditions to its rules concerning the switch to biosimilars. People who use Remicade to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease will have to modify their prescription and switch to the biosimilar version of their medication by March 5, 2020. The use of original biologics will be allowed for exceptional medical reasons only.

For British Columbia, this is the second phase of the measure that entered into force on May 27, 2019, which forces current users of biologic prescription drugs to switch to biosimilars. Read our June 2019 bulletin for more details.

On a national scale, this announcement should pave the way for standardization of this measure across the country.

The impact on private plans can vary depending on your insurer. There is no consistent method of integrating the parameters of private plans with the new parameters of the BC provincial plan:

  • Some insurers have chosen to emulate the BC government and to force users to switch to biosimilars.
  • Others chose to negotiate with the biologic drug manufacturers (Remicade, Enbrel and Lantus) to avoid the forced switch to biosimilars and to reduce the financial impact on their private insurance plan.
Alberta

Alberta recently announced new initiatives related to biosimilar drugs. The provincial budget tabled on October 24, 2019, mentions a program that could be similar to that of British Columbia. Little information is available at this time, but our advisors will keep abreast to provide you with details as soon as possible.

Private plan sponsors may need to communicate with their members to help them understand the whys and wherefores of the change and to complement the insurer’s approach with affected members.

There is nothing better than personalized support to fully understand the existing or potential impact of these changes on your drug insurance plans. Need advice? Contact us!

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