Biologics in Canada, 2018

The Biologics in Canada series examines Canadian and international trends in the sales, cost, use, and pricing of biologics as of the end of 2018, highlighting the significant potential savings that could be achieved if biosimilar uptake and pricing levels in Canada were brought closer in line with international levels.

In Canada, sales of biologic medicines tripled over the last decade, reaching $7.7 billion in 2018 and accounting for almost one third of all pharmaceutical sales. This placed Canada among the top-ranked countries in the OECD in terms of per capita spending; however, biosimilars made up only 1.9% of Canadian biologic spending.

While significant gains have been made since 2018, biosimilar uptake in Canada still lags behind international levels. The findings from this analysis will provide a baseline for measuring changes in the landscape going forward, particularly in terms of the impact of biosimilar switching policies.

Part 1: Market Trends, 2018 examines the market dynamics of biologics in Canada and compares Canadian and international trends in sales, pricing, and biosimilar uptake.

Part 2: Biosimilar Savings, 2018 draws on these recent trends to estimate the current and future cost savings that could be realized by bringing the uptake and/or prices of biosimilars in Canada in line with median OECD levels.