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Biosimilars in oncology: key role of nurses in patient education

Cornelius F Waller

Adriano Friganović

Cornelius F Waller

*Author for correspondence: Tel.: +49 761 2703 4220; Fax: +49 761 2703 4180;

E-mail Address: cornelius.waller@uniklinik-freiburg.de

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5777-0212

Department of Haematology, Oncology & Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Freiburg & Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany

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Adriano Friganović

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9528-6464

Department of Anesthesiology & Intensive Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department of Nursing, University of Applied Health Sciences, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

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Published Online:3 Jul 2020https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2020-0486

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Abstract

Biosimilars have the potential to lower costs and increase patient access to life-saving cancer therapies. However, lack of familiarity with biosimilars can be a barrier to their adoption, limiting their health and economic benefits. As highly trusted healthcare providers, nurses play integral roles in patient education. This review aims to help prepare nurses to respond to potential questions from patients on biosimilars. The regulation, use and potential benefits of biosimilars are discussed, with a focus on biosimilars in oncology. Overall, biosimilars are highly regulated medicines that provide comparable benefits to available biologics. Nurses can influence the adoption of biosimilars through patient education and can impact the future of the field in their expanding roles within health care systems.

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Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 16, No. 25

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History

Received 14 May 2020

Accepted 15 June 2020

Published online 3 July 2020

Published in print September 2020

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Author contributions

Both authors contributed to the conception of the review; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the information within; the drafting of the review; and the critical revision of the review for important intellectual content. Both authors approve this review for submission.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported by Mylan Inc, Canonsburg, PA. CF Waller is a consultant/advisory board member for Mylan Inc. A Friganovic has nothing to disclose. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Editorial assistance was provided under the direction of the authors by Sara Gibson, PhD, and Jennifer Rossi, MA, ELS, MedThink SciCom, with support from Mylan Inc.

Open access

This work is licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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