Pamplona, ​​April 28, 2026

• The session “Biosimilar medicines: regulatory guarantees, clinical experience and management strategies” was well attended by healthcare professionals from across the region.
• Jon Guajardo, managing director of Osasunbidea, opened the session, which was attended by, among others, the head of Medicines for Human Use of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products.

The University Hospital of Navarra hosted a training activity on April 23 for healthcare professionals from the Navarre Health Service (Osasunbidea) focused on biosimilar medicines. The session, entitled “Biosimilar Medicines: Regulatory Guarantees, Clinical Experience, and Management Strategies,” was organized by the Pharmacy and Benefits Department in coordination with the Spanish Association of Biosimilar Medicines, BioSim, and was well-attended by professionals from the University Hospital of Navarra, Reina Sofía Hospital, García Orcoyen Hospital, and the Miguel Servet Foundation, among others.

The managing director of Osasunbidea, Jon Guajardo, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of continuing education and the exchange of best practices. According to Guajardo, “in the management of public budgets, biosimilars are a tool for making pharmaceutical spending more efficient.”

Encarna Cruz, CEO of BioSim, offered an overview of biosimilar medicines, which will celebrate their 20th anniversary in Europe this year. She focused on their contribution to sustainability, with over €2.4 billion saved in 2025 alone, and to patient access to biological therapies, explaining that “biosimilar medicines modify the cost-benefit ratio of the active ingredient, allowing it to be used in earlier stages of treatment.”

Next, Antonio Blázquez, Head of Human Medicines at the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), explained the rigorous comparability exercise that biosimilar medicines undergo to demonstrate that their quality, efficacy, and safety are comparable to the reference medicine. He also highlighted the robust pharmacovigilance system implemented in Europe for all biological drugs. Blázquez reiterated that “from a scientific standpoint, original medicines and biosimilars, or biosimilars among themselves, are interchangeable.”

María José Calvo, Deputy Director General of Pharmacy and Health Products for the Madrid Health Service, shared the results of a project launched in 2022 by the region to improve the use of biosimilars in its hospitals. Clinical services identified their specific needs to increase their biosimilar usage rates, and the Regional Ministry of Health provided them with financial support totaling €1,5 million. The increased use of biosimilars resulted in a return on investment—in terms of savings generated—significantly higher than the initial investment. In this regard, the Deputy Director emphasized that "the drive of multidisciplinary teams has been crucial to the positive results achieved."

A dialogue on the use of biosimilars in clinical practice followed, moderated by Isabel del Río, Deputy Director of BioSim. Dr. Cristina Valero, Consultant Rheumatologist at La Princesa University Hospital, and Dr. Cristina Rodríguez, Head of the Digestive System Department at the University Hospital of Navarra, shared their experiences using these medications. Valero, from La Princesa University Hospital, highlighted how the incorporation of biosimilars has generated economic efficiencies that have facilitated the adoption of innovative medicines. Rodríguez explained how, since the arrival of the infliximab biosimilar in 2015, the adoption of new biosimilars (adalimumab in 2018 and ustekinumab in 2024) has been faster thanks to the trust built up over time. Both emphasized the importance of clear communication with the patient and collaboration with pharmacy services when addressing a medication exchange or Switch.

Maite Sarobe, Head of the Pharmacy Service at the University Hospital of Navarra, explained that “the use of biosimilars is a priority in Osasunbidea's strategy,” which includes the use of horizon scanningDialogue with clinical services and training are some of the measures to promote the use of these drugs. Sarobe shared figures on the use of biosimilar medicines in the region, which exceed 85% for infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab.

Cristina Agudo, the deputy director of Pharmacy at Osasunbidea, closed the day by thanking the professionals for their involvement and emphasizing the need to continue promoting training for a consensual incorporation into clinical practice that allows for making the most of the opportunities offered by these medications.