Management of the National Drug Administration Through the Use of Biosimilar Medicines. Expenditures, Numbers of Reimbursed Packages and Shares of Biosimilar Products in the Infliximab Market a Year Prior to and a Year after the Introduction of the National Drug Policy 2018–2022 (Zarz¹dzanie gospodark¹ lekow¹ pañstwa poprzez wykorzystanie leków biopodobnych. Wydatki, liczba zrefundowanych opakowañ i udzia³y leków biopodobnych w rynku infliksimabu, rok przed i rok po wejœciu w ¿ycie Polityki Lekowej Pañstwa 2018–2022)

Purpose: Savings resulting from the use of biosimilar medicines (biosimilars) are important to the management of national drug administration. In September 2018, the Council of Ministers adopted the National Drug Policy (NDP) for 2018–2022. One of the priorities of the document set forth by the Ministry of Health was to increase the proportional use of biosimilars. The purpose of this article is to assess the changes and the dynamics in infliximab (Remicade®) expenditures and the share of biosimilars within the infliximab market before and after the announcement of the NDP. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on the example of infliximab, a biological medicine widely used in dermatology, gastroenterology and rheumatology. The analysis period encompasses data for one year before the document was adopted, i.e. the period from September 2017 until August 2018 (year I) as well as one year after the document came intoforce, i.e. the period from September 2018 until August 2019 (year II). Comparative analyses were based on the statistical data of monthly expenditures and the number of packages reimbursed by the National Health Fund (NHF). Fixed base and chain dynamics indices were used in the analysis. Findings: An increase in the expenditure and the number of packages sold in year II was observed for biosimilars. Research limitations/implications: It should be stressed, however, that the article pertains to a single example – the infliximab market, and that numerous other important factors may affect the sales of biosimilars. Originality/value: The analysis may be used to help evaluate the Ministry of Health’s work on biosimilars.