US Medical Term · pharmacy
Reference Product
Producto de Referencia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Reference Product |
| Spanish (Español) | Producto de Referencia |
| Chinese (中文) | 参考产品（原研生物制品） |
| Korean (한국어) | 참조 제품 (원조 생물의약품) |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Sản phẩm Tham chiếu |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Reference Product (Orihinal na Biologic) |
| Portuguese (Português) | Produto de Referência |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ผลิตภัณฑ์ชีววัตถุอ้างอิง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 参照製品（先行バイオ医薬品） |
What it means
A reference product is the original FDA-approved biologic drug against which a biosimilar is evaluated for approval. Biologics are complex medicines derived from living cells—such as insulin analogs, monoclonal antibodies, and certain vaccines. When a manufacturer seeks to produce a biosimilar, the FDA requires clinical evidence demonstrating it is highly similar to the reference product with no clinically meaningful differences. Knowing which reference product a biosimilar was approved against confirms both are FDA-sanctioned options. Biosimilars typically cost less than the reference product, which can reduce your prescription costs.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
REF-er-ens PROD-ukt
producto de referencia
Also called 'originator biologic' or 'brand-name biologic'
También llamado 'biológico originador' o 'biológico de marca'
Pharmacist might say: 'This biosimilar references [product name]'
'Este biosimilar tiene como referencia al [nombre del producto]'
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026