The Role of Biosimilars in Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Clinical Strategies to Assist Pharmacists in Practice

Program Description
The role of biosimilars in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to expand. With several biosimilars approved for use in IBD and ongoing clinical trials, pharmacists have a responsibility to educate patients and prescribers about considerations for the use of biosimilars in IBD management, including the regulatory process and their safety and efficacy. Pharmacists have an important role in identifying opportunities for appropriate use of biosimilars in clinical practice and facilitating patient and prescriber decisions to switch from reference biologic to biosimilar for the management of IBD. Though biosimilars offer significant benefits for patients, primarily in decreasing costs and increasing patient access to effective treatments, challenges to biosimilar uptake still exist. This activity will present pharmacists with data they can use to make clinical recommendations for the use of biosimilars in supportive care plans of patients with IBD.

Target audience: Health-system pharmacists

Type of activity: Application
Release date: December 20, 2021
Expiration date: December 20, 2022

Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Discover the growing role of biosimilars in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management, understand the regulatory process for approval, and recognize the economic and clinical benefits of biosimilars

• Explore key concepts in biosimilars, such as immunogenicity, extrapolation of indications, interchangeability, and switching for IBD management

• Identify current biosimilars that are used in the management of IBD including their safety, efficacy, and benefits of use in clinical practice

• Investigate strategies pharmacists can implement in their clinical practice to help improve the care of patients with IBD including providing recommendations to prescribers and counseling patients

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-21-446-H01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through December 20, 2022.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

Disclosures

The following contributors have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:

Faculty

Christopher Owens, PharmD, MPH, and Shubha Bhat, PharmD, MS, BCACP

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff: Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh, MBA; Michelle C. Carlson, PharmD; Crissy Wilson; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta

An anonymous peer reviewer has been used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

The content of this activity may include information regarding the use of products that may be inconsistent with, or outside the approved labeling for, these products in the United States. Pharmacists should note that the use of these products outside current approved labeling is considered experimental and are advised to consult the prescribing information for these products.

Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Information:
www.pharmacytimes.org/terms