National Biologic Coordinators Day Date in the current year: November 1, 2024

Biological medical products, commonly known as biopharmaceuticals or biologics, are pharmaceutical drugs derived from biological sources. They include whole blood and blood components, somatic cells, tissues, vaccines, gene therapies, recombinant therapeutic proteins, and living medicines (bacterial therapeutics, phage therapeutics, cellular therapeutics, etc.).

Biologics can be used to treat various diseases, ranging from autoimmune disorders to cancer. However, accessing these treatments can be a challenging process, and most patients could use help navigating it. And this is where biologic coordinators come to the rescue.

Biologic coordinators are healthcare professionals who act as the point of contact and primary coordinator of access to biological medical products. They work with patients, prescribing healthcare providers, specialty pharmacies, manufacturers, and insurance companies, coordinating every step of the process necessary to get patients started on their prescribed specialty medications.

Biologic coordinators need a specific set of skills and qualities to do their job well. They should be compassionate, patient, flexible, detail oriented, and able to multitask. They also need to have familiarity with biologics, a good understanding of insurance policies, and excellent communication skills.

The role of a biologic coordinator can be filled by various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, physician assistants, medical assistants, and medical practice managers. Since this role is relatively new, it is not particularly known to the general public, and the hard work of biologic coordinators is often underappreciated. This is why a professional observance dedicated to biological coordinators was created.

National Biologic Coordinators Day was launched in 2021 by Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (then Janssen Pharmaceuticals), a pharmaceutical company owned by Johnson & Johnson that has developed a number of biologics such as golimumab (Simponi), infliximab (Remicade), and ustekinumab (Stelara). The main goal of the observance is to recognize the work of biologic coordinators and their contribution to healthcare.

It was decided to celebrate National Biologic Coordinators Day on November 1 because it is typically the first day of the Open Enrollment Period for health insurance coverage, which is a busy time for biologic coordinators who often have to deal with insurance companies in order to provide patients with access to biologics.

You can get involved with National Biologic Coordinators Day by learning more about this important healthcare role and spreading awareness about the work of biologic coordinators on social media with the hashtag #NationalBiologicCoordinatorsDay. If a biologic coordinator has helped you or your loved ones to get access to specialty medications, reach out to them to express your gratitude.