Lobby group urges switch to cheaper, ‘biosimilar’ prescription drugs in Ontario

A medical industry lobby group is urging Ontario to switch the drugs offered to patients in the province to a cheaper alternative, promising to save the government roughly $150 million per year.

Biosimilars Canada, a national association representing the biosimilar medical industry, called on the Ford government to switch generic medications for biosimilars, promising significant savings.

The organization said the Ford government is considering the move.

A similar switch has already been made by several provinces and territories across the country, including in Alberta.

Biosimilar drugs are “highly similar” — although not identical — to existing, authorized biologic drugs already authorized for use, according to Health Canada. Biologic drugs are made from living cells rather than chemicals.

“There are no expected clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety between a biosimilar and the biologic drug that was already authorized for sale,” the federal health agency says.

Biosimilars Canada has been campaigning for Ontario to make the switch, touting the lower price of biosimilar drugs.

“A biosimilar switching policy will save the Ontario government $3 million per week — that’s over $147 million per year — all while providing Ontario patients with reliable prescription medicine and helping support Ontario’s domestic biologics industry,” said Jim Keon, president of Biosimilars Canada.

The organization said the Ford government has been working on a policy to switch to biosimilar drugs “for a number of months.”

“We know the government of Premier Ford wants to save taxpayers money and deliver efficiencies across government; biosimilar switching would save taxpayers meaningful money over $3 million each week, which could be reinvested back into the health-care system,” Keon said.