Participants included representatives of patients, healthcare professionals, authorities and pharmaceutical companies. They also discussed tendering under the new public procurement directive. Its impacts on access to biosimilars was also part of the discussion. 

QuintilesIMS presented the update report on biosimilar competition in Europe.

A new 'information guide for healthcare professionals' was launched at the event. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) prepared it together with the European Commission and scientific experts from the EU countries. The guide is an aid for EU healthcare professionals. It gives reference information on the science and regulation supporting the use of biosimilars.

The European Commission previously published

• an information document for patients in 2016 (see documents below)
• a consensus information paper in 2013 (see documents below)

Together these documents form a comprehensive set of reliable information on biosimilars.

More information

See our 'projects' under the 'platform on access to medicines' on our biosimilars in the EU page.

Documents

• Final report
• Presentations
• Workshop agenda
• The impact of biosimilar competition in Europe – update report 2017
• Information guide for healthcare professionals (2017)
• Document on biosimilar medicines– Information for patients (2016)
• Document on biosimilar medicinal products– Consensus information paper (2013)