BIOSIMILAR MEDICINE PRICE ANALYSIS IN BRAZIL: THE ANTIRHEUMATIC CASE

GABRIELA BITTENCOURT GONZALEZ MOSEGUI; FERNANDO ANTOÑANZAS VILLAR; CID MANSO DE MELLO VIANNA; PAULA GARCIA ROJAS

doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2020.v13i9.38641

Authors

GABRIELA BITTENCOURT GONZALEZ MOSEGUI Community Health Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
FERNANDO ANTOÑANZAS VILLAR Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6122-9130
CID MANSO DE MELLO VIANNA Social Medicine Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0252-1144
PAULA GARCIA ROJAS 2Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4212-5445

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2020.v13i9.38641

Keywords:

Biological products, Drug price, Antirheumatic agents, Access to essential medicines, Health technologies

Abstract

Objective: The introduction of biosimilar medicines in markets can bring savings to health systems, expanding the population’s access to various treatments. This study aims to analyze the price competition of biological agents and their biosimilars in Brazil within the scope of rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Prices for 14 presentations of original and biosimilar medicines were analyzed from January 2003 to October 2019 in Brazil. Prices were taken from official lists and were noted since launch and during the later trading period. Prices were converted to United States dollars and adjusted for inflation for the 2003 base year.

Results: In Brazil, during this review period, prices of biopharmaceuticals decreased in real values, reaching up to a 50% reduction. The introduction of biosimilars did not affect the price sharing of biological medicines.

Conclusion: Biosimilar antirheumatics do not yet have a significant impact on the price of biologics marketed in Brazil. A change in this scenario is expected in the medium and long term.

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Author Biographies

GABRIELA BITTENCOURT GONZALEZ MOSEGUI, Community Health Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Health and Society Department

Associate ProfessorÂ

FERNANDO ANTOÑANZAS VILLAR, Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain.

Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

CID MANSO DE MELLO VIANNA, Social Medicine Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Social Medicine Institute (Instituto de Medicina Social), Rio de Janeiro State University (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – UERJ); Brazil

PAULA GARCIA ROJAS, 2Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain.

Department of Economy and Company, Economy Faculty, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

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