jan/Feb, 2020 | The Health
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A NEEDLE A DAY: Insulin is used for
diabetes patients to control their blood
glucose levels, as their bodies can no
longer produce insulin naturally.
Quality insulin
with biosimilars
The NADI Advocate Programme has been
an eye-opener for many of the GPs who
attended. Many of the issues faced by the
doctors were discussed in detail, and the use
of the types of insulin particularly, has been
presented in depth as it may affect differ-
ently for different patients based on their
condition.
And keeping with the challenges faced by
doctors in prescribing their patients with
insulin, the number one challenge in diabe-
tes care is to convince patients to start with
insulin after they have been diagnosed with
diabetes.
Several factors contribute to the difficulty
in patients’ acceptance towards insulin
intake. One is their overall acceptance of
their condition. Some, especially ones without
overbearing symptoms, will find it difficult
to accept they have diabetes and have to be
on insulin.
However, more stress is also put upon the
cost for insulin. Say the person have accepted
his or her condition, and have been on insulin
– the next challenge they may face is the hefty
cost for the treatment.
According to Dr Radhakrishna, Consul-
tant Physician from Columbia Asia Hospital
Seremban, the monthly cost for insulin alone
can be around RM200. This excludes cost for
other medications they might also have to be
on, such as high-blood pressure medication
and so on.
A more economical solution
Over the course of the years insulin has been
made available, the medication itself has been
kept under patent by the originator, or the
developer of the medication.
That means that the few types of insulin
– up until recently, can only be made and
distributed by a few manufacturers because
they were the ones who developed them and
have the rights to manufacturer.
And the price for an originator’s product
is typically expensive, because they will need
to recover the expenses of the whole develop-
ment process.
Once the patent for said insulin has expired
however, other pharmaceutical company
can develop their own using the originator’s
product as a blueprint.
This is where biosimilars comes in
A biosimilar insulin closely mimics the origi-
nator’s insulin, and it does so without going
through a research and development (R&D)
process as extensive as the originator had to.
That means it is developed on a lesser cost,
hence a lower price for patients.
A biosimilar drug is a
drug that mimics the
effectiveness of the
original drug without
compromising the
quality and safety of
the patient.
No compromise
No, lesser cost for patients doesn’t mean
patients have to settle for lesser effectiveness.
The drug regulation in Malaysia are known to
be very strict with biosimilars, and the bio-
similar insulin currently available in Malaysia
now have gone through rigorous testing and
clinical studies before it can be allowed in the
market.
Dr Radhakrishna, one of the few doctors
who were a part of the clinical studies have
seen tremendous results among his patients
prescribed with biosimilar insulin.
“With the biosimilar insulin, cost becomes
a lesser burden for patients from the middle-
and lower-income group. And seeing such
good results for the last two years I have
prescribed it to my patients, I believe it is
just as good as the originator’s product,” he
states. — The Health
The difference between biosimilar and generic drugs
IF you have read about how biosimilar insulin
can mimic the original insulin it is based
on, then you may have thought of another
concept in pharmaceuticals – generic drugs.
Here are the differences between generic
drugs and biosimilar drugs. And no, they are
not the same:
Generic
• Are identical copies of the original drugs
• Can be made if the original drug is syn-
thetic in nature
Biosimilar
• An arrangement of biological ingredients
that mimics the function and efficacy of
the original drug.
• Are not identical copies of the original
drugs, because the original uses living
organisms as important ingredients.
Even though the process of developing
generic and biosimilar drugs are
vastly different, the reason
behind their creation is the
same: To lower the cost of
medication for patients.