[The importance of biosimilars medicines for private and statutory health insurance].

Patented biopharmaceuticals generate huge costs for private and statutory health insurance. Exactly ten years ago, off-patent biopharmaceuticals, also referred to as 'biosimilars medicines', became available as a more cost-efficient and therapeutically equivalent alternative in Germany and Europe. Following their approval by all the relevant authorities, biosimilars medicines can therefore be applied in the same way as previously patented biopharmaceuticals.