Article Latest news on Best Value Bioloics: Biosimilars Why you could be asked to switch to a biosimilar medicine The NHS has introduced many life-saving innovations in its 70-year history. Antibiotics, medicines to control diabetes and heart disease, and specialist treatments for cancer are some of many revolutionary advances. Biological medicines The latest innovation has been biological medicines, available since 2000, and becoming […]
Article Biosimilars Due to the complex manufacturing process, as these medicines are made from living organisms using biotechnology techniques, biosimilars are not classed as ‘generic’ medicines, because they are not absolutely identical to the original biologic medicine. Biosimilar adalimumab is a test of shared decision making in the NHSThe entry of new biosimilars and the creation of […]
News, 23 Mar Biosimilars and Rheumatoid Arthritis | Making the switch The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) and Sandoz, have developed an informative animation on biosimilars with input from individuals living with inflammatory arthritis and in partnership with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.
Article What is RA? Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease, meaning that the symptoms such as pain and inflammation are caused by the immune system attacking the joints.
Article Royal College of Nursing and NHS England briefing on biologics In the last 12 months, we have also been working on the NHSE Adalimumab Patient Working Panel regarding the introduction of Humira biosimilars (4 came to market end 2019). It has come to our notice that not all specialist nurses and allied health professionals are aware of or have seen the NHSE Briefing on Best […]
Article Biosimilar adalimumab is a test of shared decision making in the NHS Co-written by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society, RNIB, Birdshot Uveitis Society, Psoriasis Association and Crohn’s & Colitis UK. Adalimumab is one of several biological drugs used in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, non-infectious posterior uveitis, Crohn’s and colitis. While some patients will […]
Article Sequential use of advanced therapies For some time, NRAS has been concerned that some Integrated Care Boards (“ICBs”) have been artificially restricting access to advanced therapies (biologics, biosimilars/JAK inhibitors) in England, and we undertook a Freedom of Information request to all Clinical Commissioning Groups (as they were at the time) back in 2019. Our Patient Champion, Ailsa Bosworth, has been […]
Article Anti-TNFs Background The anti-TNF drugs were the first of the biologic drugs to be introduced for RA, starting with infliximab, in 1999. They are expensive to develop and produce therefore had to go through appraisal by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), who determine whether or not such new medicines are cost effective […]
Article Azathioprine Azathioprine is used to control severe active rheumatoid arthritis, usually as an ‘add on’ treatment to supplement the main disease modifying drug (DMARD) or to enable the reduction of regular steroid treatment. Azathioprine is now only used rarely since the continuing development of more effective targeted treatments (see Biologics and Biosimilars, P.46 and 49) Azathioprine […]
Article Rituximab Original Biologic drug Biosimilars (up-to-date at time of writing) Method of administration Rituximab (Mabthera) Truxima, Rixathon and Ruxience Infusion (Mabthera is also available by injection) How does it work? How does it work? As with other biologic drugs, rituximab works by targeting proteins called cytokines, which are responsible for the inflammation caused by the immune […]
Stay up to date Sign up for all the latest RA and NRAS news and receive our regular monthly emails on the latest RA research, events and advice. Sign up