Biological drugs are modern medical miracles. Derived from living organisms, this complex class of drugs — known as “biologics” — has proven astonishingly effective in treating a wide range of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and a host of complex autoimmune disorders.

Thanks to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, patients will soon have access to more affordable versions of these medicines. That legislation empowered the Food and Drug Administration to begin approving “biosimilars.”