07 Nov Pharma group backs IJN’s switch to generic, biosimilar medicine
Published by Free Malaysia Today
The Malaysian Organisation of Pharmaceutical Industries said the use of generic and biosimilar medicines would ensure that patients could access quality-assured medications at a fraction of the cost. (Reuters pic)
In a statement, Mopi called PhAMA’s claim “baseless, non-factual and misleading” adding that it failed to consider the long-term economic benefits that generic and biosimilar medicines bring.
It said these medicines are an essential component of the healthcare landscape, ensuring that patients can access quality-assured medications at a fraction of the cost of originator drugs.
“By significantly lowering the cost of medications by as much as 50% to 80%, generics and biosimilars inadvertently increase accessibility to quality-assured and affordable medicines,” it said, adding that the health ministry implements a generic-first policy.
Last month, CodeBlue reported on a directive from the health ministry and finance ministry for IJN to switch government patients from originator drugs to generic versions.
This directive follows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement, during the tabling of the 2025 budget, that the government would continue to outsource treatment for heart patients among pensioners.
However, yesterday, CodeBlue quoted PhAMA executive director Chan Li Jin as saying that merely changing medicines would not solve cost management for IJN.
She said that it might even backfire if the patient’s condition should deteriorate and require more treatment, increasing the cost and burden even more.
Chan added that the association planned to seek an engagement with IJN to obtain clarification on the government-mandated directive to switch to generic drugs.
Mopi said the use of generics could free up healthcare resources, enabling investment in other critical areas, such as disease prevention, infrastructure, and innovative treatments.
“This is particularly crucial in the context of chronic diseases, where long-term medication use is necessary.”
According to Mopi, the introduction of biosimilars – a class of biologic medicines that are highly similar to reference biologic drugs – is poised to offer further savings, especially for life-saving treatment for conditions like cancer, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes.
It said the move by IJN to use generics and biosimilars was a step in the right direction to ensure the institute’s sustainability.
“According to reliable reports, the cost-savings by using generics for the 10 highest usage medicines in IJN is about RM130 million. This will help IJN reduce their losses and require less financial support from the government,” Mopi added.