I can’t even remember the first time I wrote about biosimilars, which are basically generic versions of biologic drugs (it’s a more nuanced concept than that, but for purposes of my freelance writing portfolio, it will do). It’s been at least several years since I first typed that word for a different publication I used to write for. And one reason biosimilars are still largely in “promise” mode shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone with even a broad understanding of free markets. Legacy biologic manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to block these products from market, tying them up in IP litigation and in some cases successfully delaying their launches.

My latest story on biosimilars for HealthTrust’s The Source magazine is a fairly easy read for the uninitiated. In it, I talk to a subject matter expert at HealthTrust and the director of pharmacy at LifePoint Health, where they’re seeing some success (read: savings) by adding what few biosimilar products are available to their hospital formularies.

Photo credit: petrovv