Enbrel

[Grandimose]

I have been on Enbrel (Etanercept) for about 18months and to me it has been a wonder drug but I am now being told by my NHS that I have to switch to the new cheaper option of

"a Biosimilar" being produced in England. Has anyone used one or has any information about it please!

[Kim-NRAS NRAS]

Hi Grandimose

You can find information on biosimilars on the NRAS website here: nras.org.uk/biosimilars or you can read about them in the publication 'Medicines in Rheumatoid Arthritis' on the NRAS website here: nras.org.uk/publications/me...

Please also feel free to ring the NRAS Helpline to discuss this further, they are open Monday-Friday 9:30am-4:30pm on freephone 0800 298 7650.

Best wishes

Kim

[AgedCrone]

If you are already on a biologic your rheumy is supposed to ask you if you agree to switch.

If you are just starting you can be put straight on to a Biosimilar.

You can find the actual regulation if you look up 'switching to a Biosimilar'

[Grandimose in reply to AgedCrone]

I haven't been asked - I have been told!!!

[Dogrose in reply to Grandimose]

Me too, just had a letter saying I was being switched to a Biosimilar from Rituximab, no mention of any choice.

[AgedCrone]

It depends if you want to make a stand ....there are many satisfied people on Biosimilars. If you are dead set against it, have a word with the patient liaison office at your hospital. They will tell you what procedures are available to you.

Bottom line the NHS has to provide the best drug available, but not at any price. I'm sure Rheumatologistscwill take into consideration all the pros & cons when they decide which patients to switch to Similars.

[Deminem]

Hia!

Please drop the words Benepali, Enbrel into the search box, there's a ton of info there, including my post from a couple days back.

D

[Gillian15649]

I switched to Benepali about 6 months ago and have found no difference. My specialist said if I had a problem. I could go back to Enbrel but he could put more patients on biological drugs if we switch. I would love other people to have the benefits I have had from biologicals. When I switched Benepali was about half the original price of Enbrel but now these copies are on the market the price of The original bios has dropped but not as low as copies