AMCP Launches Biosimilars Task Force to Show Safety and Efficacy

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) today established a Biosimilars Task Force to begin developing a Biosimilars Collective Intelligence System to document their safety and efficacy, using continuous analysis of available data for innovator specialty drugs as reference points.

Armada Health Care and the Specialty Pharmacy Association of America (SPAARx) are the lead sponsors of the task force and the proposed multi-year initiative.

"Creating a Biosimilars Collective Intelligence System that documents biosimilars' safety and efficacy could fundamentally change the landscape for specialty pharmacies, the most promising and fastest growing sector in pharmaceuticals," said AMCP CEO Edith A. Rosato, RPh, IOM. "AMCP is grateful to Armada Health and SPAARx for supporting our efforts to improve access to medicines increasingly used to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic, debilitating diseases."

AMCP is engaging data consortium and specialty drug experts from the leading US managed care organizations for their assistance in identifying the steps necessary to build and launch the system before the first biosimilars hit the market. The task force also will engage health services researchers from an array of public and non-governmental organizations, including the Harvard Mini-Sentinel group, FDA, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and Brookings Institute, as well as pharmacy benefit management firms, specialty management organizations and drug manufacturers.

The Biosimilars Task Force is just one of several AMCP biosimilars initiatives undertaken in 2013.  "Becoming the leader in specialty pharmacy is one of AMCP's top strategic priorities," added Rosato. "We are laser-focused on increasing awareness and understanding of specialty pharmacy. We jumped into specialty pharmacy earlier this year with both feet – moving forward we'll be offering robust programming at our two national meetings and hosting summits throughout the year."

Armada is the largest specialty pharmacy channel management organization, and SPAARx is the largest national association representing the broad interests of the specialty pharmacy industry.

About AMCP
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy is a national professional association of pharmacists and other health care practitioners who serve society by the application of sound medication management principles and strategies to improve health care for all. Our 7,000 members develop and provide a range of clinical, educational and business management services on behalf of more than 200 million Americans. www.amcp.org. 

SOURCE Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy