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House approves pharmacy change requiring pharmacist notification for biosimilar substitutions after debate over access and safety
Summary
Representative Barlow's SB 78, which requires pharmacists to notify prescribers when substituting a biosimilar for a prescribed biologic product, passed the House 38‑34 after floor debate about clinical complexity, market access and operational burdens on pharmacies.
The House voted to pass Senate Bill 78, the Pharmacy Act amendment addressing biosimilar substitution, on March 14. Representative Barlow, the House sponsor, moved and secured adoption of Amendment #4 (shortening the notification timeframe), then delivered the sponsor presentation and fielded multiple questions about clinical safety and real‑world pharmacy operations.
"Basically a biosimilar is a drug that is…
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