The IBD Pathway: From a Patient Perspective

Abstract

The emergence of anti-TNF biosimilars has had significant implications for the biologic treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Significant cost savings provide an incentive for healthcare providers to encourage the prescription of biosimilars instead of reference products. However, patients may have concerns about the switching process, the reason for the switch, or the biosimilar itself, and it is important for healthcare professionals (HCP) to take these into account to enable an informed, shared treatment decision. The aim of this symposium was to understand treatment of IBD from the patient’s perspective, especially when switching treatment to a biosimilar product. Beginning with a review of the current and future treatment landscapes, the implications of the increasing availability of biosimilars were discussed. The role of HCP in communicating information about the switch was explored by the multidisciplinary faculty who also compared switching practices at their own treatment centres and shared best practices. Alongside videos of interviews with patients who had undergone a switch to a biosimilar, a patient advocacy perspective was provided by Ms Luisa Avedano, CEO, the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA).