According to an article published in Healio, nurses who efficiently communicate the positive attributes of biosimilar drugs and interchangeable medications may have a positive influence on patients who are hesitant to take them. In a presentation at the 2023 RNS annual conference, Jaqueline Fritz, RN, MSN, RN-BC, a rheumatology nurse at AOmed, explained that patients may have a multitude of questions about biosimilar drugs, and emphasized that the role of the nurse is to properly educate and listen to patients’ concerns. Ms. Fritz stressed that providers should explain that there are no clinical differences between a biosimilar and a reference product, and that biosimilars may accelerate access to treatment and confer potential cost savings to patients. “We play a unique role in offering essential information to our patients. [Biosimilars] come from the same sources, are administered the same way, have the same strength, the same doses, the same potential treatment effects and potential side effects…. It’s how you present them to your patients,” concluded Ms. Fritz.
August 09, 2023