Objectives:

Due to the increase in the consumption of biologic drugs and the impact this has on hospital spending, the objectives of this study are: to calculate the economic savings generated by switching to biosimilar adalimumab and to analyze the percentage of patients who maintain this treatment in a tertiary level hospital.

Material and methods:

Descriptive, observational, longitudinal, retrospective study that included a group of patients who were switched from adalimumab to its biosimilar, when the Technical Advisory Committee for Medicines of the community authorized the change.

Results:

Of the 218 patients, nine had to return to the original drug (4.13%). The motivation was: loss of efficacy in five, allergic reaction in three and the other was a pediatric patient with pain after injection of the biosimilar drug.

The acquisition cost in our hospital of an unit of the original drug is €195.6, while that of the biosimilar is €75. If we consider a dosage every two weeks, since this is the most frequent in our patients, the annual cost per patient with the original drug would be €5,085 and with the biosimilar €1,950. Therefore, the annual savings from switching from the original drug to the biosimilar is €683,560.

Conclusions:

switching from the original adalimumab to the biosimilar means significant economic savings without reducing the effectiveness of the disease process. This contributes to the efficiency and sustainability of the halthcare system. In our population, 4.13% had to return to the original drug. It would be advisable to carry out the study in a larger number of patients and to continue its long-term follow-up to obtain firmer conclusions.

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