At the scientific conference "The revolution with similar biological drugs" organized by the Vietnam Cancer Society and Pfizer Vietnam on March 6-7 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, experts discussed the role of similar biological drugs (biosimilar) in cancer treatment systems.
According to GLOBOCAN statistics in 2022, Vietnam recorded 180,480 new cases and 120,184 deaths from cancer. Common cancers include liver, lung, breast and colorectal cancers. While the demand for access to advanced treatments is increasing, the cost of biological drugs remains a challenge for many patients.
Biosimilar is a product developed based on a licensed reference biological drug and must undergo a strict appraisal process on quality, effectiveness and safety before being put into use.
Experts believe that there needs to be solutions to reduce co-payment costs and shorten drug approval time to expand treatment opportunities, contributing to improving the sustainability of the health system.
