Ebola, malaria and other infectious diseases are prominent the headlines. But the world’s number one cause of death is noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular illnesses, cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes. To stop this increasing pandemic, societies must develop medical capacity and strategies that change people’s lifestyles while providing access to affordable medicine. In the battle against cancer, generic oncology medicine plays a key role.
A tenth anniversary could be a fairly unremarkable date in healthcare, but 2016 marked the coming of age of biosimilars – and the next decade is full of promise for patients.
Sheila Frame, VP and Head of Biopharmaceuticals in North America, reflects on the newly published RAND report highlighting the potential USD 54 billion in cost savings offered by the expansion of biosimilars in the US.
After centuries of being forgotten, a common herb was rediscovered that has cured malaria in millions of people. Today, access to medicine programs such as the Novartis Malaria Initiative make antimalarial drugs based on Artemisia annua available to the people who need it.
New data just released in the two largest global pharma markets show the substantial and growing level of savings made possible by increased use of generic medicines.
Producing a medicine is only the first step towards getting it to the patient who needs it. The pharma industry, with its stringent requirements for product security and stability, has one of the most complex logistical chains in the world today. High-tech logistics are not just an expense, they are an investment in better access to medicines and – used efficiently – they can bring down overall healthcare costs and improve patient care.
For a growing range of therapeutic areas, biosimilars make state-of-the-art treatment more affordable1. They could be real game-changers for patients, physicians and healthcare systems.
