• Both entities undertake to contribute to the generation and disseminationn of new training actions on biosimilar medicines, and they will actively share scientific-medical knowledge.

The Spanish Association of Biosimilar Medicines - BioSim and the Federation of Spanish Medical Scientific Associations - FACME, have signed a collaboration agreement that includes, among other actions, the constitution of a joint working group to share updated information on biosimilar medicines. This work space has also been open to other scientific societies not attached to FACME, but that may be interested in this field.

The agreement is aimed at generating and adequately disseminating knowledge about biosimilar medicines, in order to make it available to medical professionals. To this end, the signatories have committed to the establishment of a system for the exchange of information related to scientific and clinical knowledge, which will allow educational and informative actions of joint interest to be carried out.

It has been signed by Fernando Carballo, President of the Federation of Spanish Medical Scientific Associations, and by Joaquín Rodrigo, President of the Spanish Association of Biosimilar Medicines.

Knowledge exchange.

In accordance with the signed text, BioSim and FACME will collaborate in the review and dissemination of the knowledge developed by societies, associations and other scientific entities on biosimilar medicines, and will work to jointly offer recommendations and updated information, aimed at the various healthcare participants.

BioSim and FACME will create, for this, a working group in which the scientific-medical societies that are part of FACME will participate, as well as others that, with the prior consensus of the parties, although they are not attached to FACME, represent a group of specialists linked to the use and prescription of biosimilar medicines.

Likewise, BioSim and FACME will work jointly on training and information actions, aimed at medical professionals, in order to disseminate knowledge and resolve any doubts that may arise in clinical practice. For this, BioSim will put at the service of FACME the scientific and technical means at its disposal to achieve the objectives set out in the signed agreement. Reciprocally, FACME will also offer BioSim its scientific knowledge in this field, as well as the material developed by affiliated scientific-medical societies.

Biosimilars, contribution to clinical improvement and sustainability of the system.

For Fernando Carballo, "prescribing physicians must be an essential part of the process of discussion and adoption of agreements and decisions aimed at rationalizing the use of biological drugs, including the use of biosimilars."

"FACME values ​​the agreement with BioSim very positively because it will allow us to work together with the Association in the enhancement of biosimilar medicines, highlighting their contribution within the therapeutic arsenal of biological medicines from the perspective of the specialist clinician."

For Joaquín Rodrigo, "BioSim assumes its mission of improving knowledge of biosimilar medicines with agreements like this, where we always put the scientific-technical quality of its contents first. Biosimilars are subject to the same regulatory requirements as other biological medicines, and for this reason they are available to prescribers on an equal footing with other authorized treatments. The quality and effectiveness of biosimilar drug treatments offer greater opportunities to benefit patients every day.”

“As an organization, we want to work with professionals because we trust them and we trust biosimilars. We know that the improvement in healthcare and health opportunities provided by biosimilars requires that clinicians become aware of them and improve their levels of clinical experience. For this reason, we are convinced that this agreement will mean work of mutual interest between the industry that we represent, and the prescribers”.

Both participants have highlighted that "biosimilars contribute to the sustainability of the system and allow an improvement in the accessibility to biological treatments. In other words, due to the cost reduction compared to the original product, there is an increase in the efficiency of health care for the benefit of patients.

“BioSim and FACME share the idea that work should be done to improve information and training for professionals. Physicians are the prescribers of these drugs and those who, ultimately, will be responsible for their introduction and proper use in clinical practice”.

"This agreement will also allow us to establish joint recommendations or positions among the most relevant scientific societies in Spain, and especially those that have the greatest use and clinical experience, or are expected to have in the near future, on biosimilar medicines."

About biosimilar medicines and BioSim.

A biosimilar is a biological medicine that is equivalent in quality, efficacy and safety to an original biological medicine, called a reference product. The dosage and route of administration must be the same, and the biosimilar is authorized for all or some of the indications approved for the reference biologic. Biosimilars allow a greater number of patients to access biological treatments due to the reduction in cost compared to the original product, and contribute both to the sustainability of the system and to improved patient access to innovative treatments. Currently, the European Union has authorized the marketing of more than forty of these medicines, and it is expected that in the coming years an increasing number of products and approved indications will be available.

BioSim, the Spanish Association of Biosimilars, is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to foster and promote scientific, business and technical interests common to the Spanish biosimilar medicines industry, for which it welcomes and represents all pharmaceutical companies established in Spain that research, develop, produce and/or market biosimilar medicines, being able to form part of it both laboratories that are already operating in the biosimilars market and original product companies that have launched, or are going to launch march, a division of biosimilars; be it for research, development, production or marketing.

About FACME.

FACME is the Federation of Spanish Scientific-Medical Associations, a national organization that brings together 42 scientific societies. It is the reference entity in terms of its role as representative of the largest number of professionals in the medical community. FACME carries out the coordination, representation, management, promotion and defense of the general and common interests of its associated scientific societies.