New patient information leaflet on biosimilar trastuzumab

16 May 2018

The second cancer biosimilar, trastuzumab, has been approved to treat patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and metastatic gastric cancer. Biosimilar trastuzumab provides a high-quality treatment alternative for patients, while offering significant potential savings for the NHS. Over the coming weeks, Trusts will be switching to biosimilar trastuzumab.

To assist with this, RM Partners has produced a patient information leaflet, Trastuzumab Biosimilars for Breast Cancer, in collaboration with charities Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now, for patients being treated with trastuzumab (also known by the brand name Herceptin) intravenously. It explains what biosimilars are and how they work, and helps to explain to patients why they may be switched from their existing medication to a biosimilar version.

A generic consultant-endorsed patient letter template has also been produced that can be used to accompany the patient information leaflet and provide an additional resource to inform patients of the switch.

These documents can be used in conjunction with the existing Cancer Vanguard biosimilar resource material, to help support the early adoption of intravenous biosimilar trastuzumab across the NHS.

Click here for the patient leaflet, patient letter template, and other resources to help in the adoption of biosimilars.