Biosimilars and Future Biotherapeutics

Patient and Physician Perspectives on Biosimilar Use

The perspectives of patients and physicians play a pivotal role in the acceptance and integration of biosimilars into everyday clinical practice. Despite strong regulatory assurances of biosimilarity in terms of safety, efficacy, and quality, perceptions and confidence levels among healthcare providers and patients significantly influence prescribing behaviors, switching decisions, and overall market uptake. For physicians, biosimilars represent an opportunity to offer cost-effective treatment options, expand patient access, and optimize healthcare resources. However, concerns often linger regarding the clinical equivalence of biosimilars, especially in complex therapeutic areas such as oncology, rheumatology, and immunology. Many clinicians express caution about switching stable patients from originator biologics to biosimilars, largely due to a lack of long-term real-world data, fears about immunogenicity, or the perception that even minor structural differences might impact clinical outcomes. These concerns are particularly evident in regions where biosimilars are newly introduced, or where regulatory guidance on interchangeability and substitution is limited or inconsistent. Physicians’ willingness to prescribe biosimilars is heavily influenced by their level of education and experience with these products. Continuing medical education, access to comparative data, and positive clinical experiences can help shift attitudes from skepticism to acceptance. Endorsement by professional societies and inclusion of biosimilars in clinical guidelines also provide reassurance and promote wider adoption.