17 June 2019 - A Canadian advisory council is recommending the use of biosimilars in a final report that lays out 60 recommendations for how the country can create a CAN $15.3 billion (approximately US $11.4 billion) universal, single-payer, public system for pharmaceutical coverage.

Although Canada has universal healthcare, it does not have single-payer drug coverage. There are over 100 public prescription drug plans and over 100,000 private plans, all with their own premiums, copayments, deductibles, and annual limits.

The report, A Prescription for Canada: Achieving Pharmacare for All, contains 2 recommendations that pertain to the use of biosimilars. One recommendation says that there should be formulary management policies, including requiring biosimilar substitution and to encourage patients and providers to choose the most cost-effective therapies. Prescribers and patients will need better support via information that reinforces the safety, efficacy, and benefits of biosimilars, the report said.

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