Some Legislators Consider ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do” Approach to California Physicians
The California Assembly is about to vote on a bill authored by Senator Mike McGuire that insults the integrity of every practicing physician in California and threatens the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship, which is the cornerstone of effective health care. What’s more, Senator McGuire attempts to hold physicians to a stricter standard than he […]
More Transparency Needed for Little-Known Driver of Health Care Costs
Imagine walking into your pharmacy to pick up your medication only to find that the drug you have been prescribed is not covered. What does that mean? Because your medication was not “chosen” by a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) – a shadowy third-party entity that insurance companies hire to manage prescription drug benefits – your […]
“Similar” OK For Gadgets, Not OK For Biotech Drugs
If you want an iPhone 4 but
can’t afford it, it’s easy to find a similar Smartphone for less money.
The same is true when it comes to laptop computers. Magazines and blogs
are full of helpful tips for today’s discerning consumers to find just the
right laptop, the right phone, and even the right speakers that function
similarly to high-end models.
Some people would tell you
it’s the same with prescription drugs. We do know that generic drugs have
the same chemical composition as the originals. But that is far from true
when it comes to a new class of drugs known as biologics.
Biologics are complex,
large-molecule drugs. More importantly, they are manufactured using
processes involving living cells. They may have hundreds of compounds of
sugars, nucleic acids, proteins, or combinations in three-dimensional
molecules. But unlike gadgets, biologics’ imitator versions, known as
"biosimilars" can never be exactly the same as the innovator model.