Table 1.
Attitudes and perceptions of physicians who responded to the survey about brand-name biologics and biosimilars (n = 206).
| Statement | Agree/Strongly Agree |
|---|---|
| I am generally comfortable prescribing biologic drugs to my patients | 57% |
| If a drug has been approved by the Russian Ministry of Health, I would offer it to my patients because I am confident it is safe and efficacious | 68% |
| Biosimilars are essentially the same as generic drugs | 55% |
| Usually it is difficult to obtain information on clinical efficacy and safety for a biosimilar | 58% |
| Biosimilars clinical trial data should be included in labeling to guide physician and patient decisions | 93% |
| Publication (transparency) of clinical trial reports for biosimilars should be mandatory | 94% |
| The risk for side effects is greater with a biosimilar than for the reference product | 51% |
| Biosimilars should be subject to rigorous post-marketing surveillance, including establishing efficient patient registries | 98% |
| Biosimilars will have a significant impact on clinical practice in Russia for another 3–5 years | 83% |
| I would feel comfortable prescribing biosimilars if I am confident in their quality, efficacy, safety, and similar immunogenicity against the reference product | 91% |
Data were extracted from question 8 of the questionnaire (see Survey Questionnaire 1).