3. Underpinning Knowledge - Legislation and Professional Issues

Advances in biotechnology have resulted in an increasing number of biological molecules and materials being used as medicines. This is a trend that is expected to continue, at least for the foreseeable future. A number of patents and periods of marketing exclusivity for biological medicines are expiring and biosimilar versions of the medicines are becoming more widely available e.g. insulin glargine. The introduction of biosimilars offers potential benefits in terms