RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the economic impact of future prescriptions of etanercept and adalimumab biosimilars at the territorial scale covered by PharmAlp'Ain, a hospitals grouping of orders for health products. METHODS: Determination of the number and status of patients (naive or in continuation of treatment) from the National Database "Datamart de Consommation Inter-Régimes" of health insurance, concerned by a dispensation in a pharmacy of etanercept or adalimumab in 2015. Calculation of potential savings in case of biosimilar requirements according to 3 hypotheses: 63% (rate observed in a previous study) of initiations are treated with biosimiliaries and the others by princeps (H1); all initiations under biosimilars and continuation therapy with the princeps (H2) or all patients are treated with biosimilars (H3). RESULTS: The annual savings are estimated at 237,000 with the H1 hypothesis. In the case of H2, the expected savings would be 376,200 per year. In the case of H3, savings for the community could reach almost 1,282,800 per year. CONCLUSION: The arrival of biosimilars allows significant savings for medicines market. According to the French recommendations in 2016, the expected savings are between the H1 and H2 hypothesis. The rate of penetration of biosimilars depends on many factors such as the involvement of health professionals, patient adherence, or health authority recommendations.