Government of Saskatchewan Launches Biosimilars Initiative

We are aware of the recent announcement made by the Ministry of Health and applaud the government for moving forward on this biosimilar initiative. Biosimilars offer major cost savings to the health care system, and Saskatchewan Blue Cross is a strong supporter of their preferential prescribing. Similar initiatives adopted in other jurisdictions across Canada have experienced great success in increasing the use of biosimilars, which are considered to be equally as safe and effective as their biologic origins, but at a more affordable cost. We are currently assessing the impact of this announcement and transition policy as it relates to the private drug plan coverage offered under our products, our drug reimbursement practices, and the experience of our members. We fully anticipate aligning our approach to drug plan management with that of the public policy to protect both the health of our members and the sustainability of the drug plans we offer and administer for you. We will be communicating more information to you in the coming weeks and months.

Please view the full Government of Saskatchewan news release here.