Opinion: FDA’s naming rule for biosimilars has undermined Congress and health care
I recently tried to order white blood cell growth factor (pegfilgrastim) biosimilar for one of my patients. This is a drug that helps prevent fever and infection associated with low white blood cell counts.
For years, prescribing it has been simple, since the only option was the brand-name drug, Neulasta brand pegfilgrastim. But the patent on Neulasta expired in October 2015, and there are now several FDA-approved biosimilars on the market: Fulphila (pegfilgrastim-jmdb), Nyvepria (pegfilgrastim-apgf), Udenyca (pegfilgrastim-cbqv) and Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim-bmez).
