Knowledge and awareness of biosimilars and shared decision-making among gastroenterology team members in Colorado, USA

ABSTRACT

Background: There are gaps in gastroenterologist team members’ understanding of various topics related to biosimilars. We aimed to examine perspectives, views, and attitudes toward biosimilar and shared decision-making (SDM) among gastroenterology team members in Colorado, USA. The ultimate goal was to increase knowledge and awareness of biosimilars and SDM.

Research design and methods: We developed educational materials focused on biosimilars and SDM and distributed them to each participating gastroenterology office. Subsequently, we conducted a survey of all team members from participating offices.

Results: Responses were obtained from 54 gastroenterology team members. Most respondents identified the correct answer regarding biosimilars, the nocebo effect, and SDM. Almost half (47.2%) of respondents scored their level of awareness regarding biosimilars prior to reading our educational materials as poor, and nearly one quarter (26.4%) indicated so for SDM. Improvement in scores after reading our materials was significant for both biosimilars and SDM (i.e. biosimilar: z = 6.276, p-value <0.001 and SDM z = 6.328, p-value <0.001).

Conclusions: Educational efforts effectively increased the low baseline knowledge and awareness of biosimilars and SDM among gastroenterology team members. More educational projects focused on biosimilars and SDM are needed to reduce the nocebo effect and prevent hampering of the cost-savings of biosimilars.

KEYWORDS:

• Biosimilars
• shared decision-making
• survey
• gastroenterology

Expert opinion

A lack of knowledge and misconceptions among health-care providers including gastroenterology team members about the effectiveness and safety of biosimilars is one of the main drivers of the nocebo effect and should be minimized. Our educational project effectively improved knowledge and awareness of many aspects concerning biosimilars and shared decision-making among gastroenterology team members. Such improvement suggests that more educational initiatives focusing on biosimilars and shared decision-making for gastroenterology team members are needed.

Author contributions

RM Ismailov contributed in the conception and design of the study, acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data, statistical analysis and drafting of the initial manuscript. L Pouillon contributed in the analysis and interpretation of data, and critical revision for important intellectual content. CP Selinger contributed in the analysis and interpretation of data, and critical revision for important intellectual content. ZD Khasanova contributed in the conception and design of the study, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting of the initial manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the article.

Declaration of interest

RM Ismailov received financial support for educational programs from Pfizer, Amgen, Abbvie, Genentech, Novartis, Santen and Actelion. L Pouillon received speaker fees from Abbvie and Ferring; consultancy fees from Janssen and Takeda; and travel fees from Abbvie, Ferring, Norgine and Takeda. C Selinger has received unrestricted research grants from Warner Chilcott, Janssen and AbbVie, has provided consultancy to Warner Chilcott, Dr Falk, AbbVie, Takeda, Fresenius Kabi and Janssen, and had speaker arrangements with Warner Chilcott, Dr Falk, AbbVie, MSD, Pfizer, and Takeda. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

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

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Pfizer and by the CMDAT Research Foundation. Pfizer was not involved in the design and conduct of the study, selection of investigators as well as data collection and management.