Biosimilar drugs gain ground in U.S., but concerns linger about when patients can switch

Many medical professionals look to biosimilar drugs as a way to increase competition and give consumers cheaper options, much as generic drugs do, and they point to the more robust use of these products in Europe to cut costs. Yet uptake of biosimilar drugs has generally been slow in the U.S. since the first such medicine was approved in 2015. That’s in part because of concerns raised by patients like Moxley and their doctors, but also because brand-name biologics have successfully kept biosimilars from entering the market, through a combination of legal actions to extend the life of their patents and incentives that make it more attractive to offer the brand-name biologic on a formulary than a biosimilar.