A survey on Chinese physicians’cognition，attitudes，and practices regarding biosimilars and their clinical switching
- VernacularTitle:我国医生对生物类似药及其临床转换的认知、态度与实践调研
- Author:
Liyang GAO
1
;
Lijuan ZUO
2
;
Huiting PENG
1
;
Weixin XU
1
;
Li ZHANG
1
;
Haisheng CHEN
1
;
Jing SHI
3
Author Information
1. Dept. of Pharmacy，Shandong Cancer Hospital & Institute，Jinan 250117，China;School of Pharmacy，Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences，Jinan 250117，China
2. Dept. of Pneumology，Jinan Authority Hospital，Jinan 250001，China
3. Dept. of Pharmacy，Shandong Cancer Hospital & Institute，Jinan 250117，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Biosimilars;
switching;
Cognition;
attitudes;
drug regulation;
Questionnaire survey
- From:
China Pharmacy
2026;37(18):2363-2368
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the cognition， attitudes， and current practices of Chinese physicians regarding biosimilars and their clinical switching， so as to provide a basis for the rational clinical application of biosimilars in China and the improvement of related policies.METHODS A national cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted in 2025. Quota sampling was adopted， with quotas based on physicians’ sex， city tier， and specialty. Questionnaire invitations were distributed to licensed physicians， and physicians who had prescribed monoclonal antibody biosimilars were included for analysis. The questionnaire covered their familiarity with biosimilars， attitudes， clinical switching practices， and reasons. Data were processed using reliability and validity tests， dispersion analysis， and cross-tabulation analysis.RESULTS The questionnaire scale showed good reliability and validity， with Cronbach’s α coefficient ＞0.7 and KMO value ＞0.6. A total of 2 071 survey invitations were distributed， and 300 valid questionnaires were returned， with an effective response rate of 14.5%. Among the respondents， 75.3% had prescribed 3-5 types of monoclonal antibody biosimilars； only 35.3% were aware that China currently has no clear regulatory provisions on biosimilar switching； 46.3% and 47.3% of respondents believed that there was no difference in safety and efficacy， respectively， between biosimilars and originator products； 63.0% of respondents were concerned about the immunogenicity risk of long-term switching between originator drugs and biosimilars. A total of 92.3% of respondents had experience with biosimilar switching， 87.7% of which involved switching from originator products to biosimilars， and 28.2% of respondents had completed three or more switches in the same patient. Among the primary reasons for switching， non-medical factors accounted for 57.4%， higher than medical factors at 42.6%； “lower treatment cost after switching” was the most important reason for switching； 95.3% of respondents believed that informed consent should be obtained from patients before switching.CONCLUSIONS The surveyed physicians had basic knowledge of biosimilars， but their understanding of the relevant regulations of the national drug regulatory authority was insufficient. Although most physicians were concerned about the risks of non-medical switching， clinical switching was mostly driven by non-medical factors. It is recommended to strengthen policy education for medical professionals and standardize clinical switching behavior. The National Medical Products Administration should also promptly improve the interchangeability review standards and post-marketing surveillance system for biosimilars, so as to promote the rational use of biosimilars.
