The pharmacoeconomic impact of follitropin alpha biosimilars in IVF therapy in Europe: a report of the literature

ABSTRACT

Introduction: To study the impact of biosimilars in assisted reproductive treatments, we performed a review of the literature. Biosimilars are a bioequivalent chemical drug referred to the original. Their production is strongly requested in order to reduce drug cost and reduce health economic impact on national health system. In assisted reproductive treatments different gonadotropin biosimilars are being produced.

Areas covered: For this reason, we performed a review of the literature on follitropin alfa Gonal-F biosimilar, Ovaleap and Bemfola, to assess their cost efficacy in national health system. Cost effective (CE) analysis and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were used as parameters for biosimilar impact evaluation in the national health system economy. In particular, they had only slight impact on cost reduction of recombinant follitropin alfa products in Europe.

Expert opinion: considering cost-effective analysis, Gonal-F remains the first choice for national health systems. However, well-designed powered methods are strongly needed to assess biosimilars cost-effectiveness.

KEYWORDS:

• Biosimilars
• follitropin alpha
• health economy
• pharmacoeconomy
• ICER

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosure

Peer reviewers in this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.