Free drug samples hardly help the poor Posted by Daniela at 01/07/08 06:08 PM

If you are poor, uninsured, non-English speaking, or an ethnic or racial minority, you are less likely to receive free drug samples, according to a first of its kind study by Harvard researchers at the Cambridge Health Alliance, published in the February 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. In spite of drug industry claims that free samples act as a “safety net” for the poor and uninsured, the study found that over four-fifths were insured all year and less than a third were low income (under $37,000 for a family of four). Author Sarah Cutrona, Cambridge Health Alliance physician commented:

The distribution of free samples has become very controversial. Evidence shows that free samples may influence physicians’ prescribing behavior and cause safety problems. For instance, we found that the most widely distributed sample in 2002 was Vioxx, with Celebrex being number 3. These drugs turned out to have lethal side effects. While many doctors still view samples as a safety net for their neediest patients, our study shows that samples are potentially dangerous, and do little for the needy.

Senior author Dr. David Himmelstein, Cambridge Health Alliance physician added, “Our findings strongly suggest that free drug samples serve as a marketing tool, not as a safety net.” That’s why some health care networks prohibit the use of drug samples where doctors don’t meet with drug reps. Potential health risks of marketed drugs have caused some people to think drug sample programs should be illegal. But with the drug industry giving out $16.4 billion dollars worth of free samples in 2004, chances are high that you’ll still receive one or more this year, particularly if you’re insured.

PhRMA’s Senior VP Ken Johnson called the study “fatally flawed,” saying that drug sample distribution “clearly benefits patients and advances healthcare throughout the United States.” This study shows that drug samples mostly reach the insured that have better access to medical care and have a better chance of buying these name-brand prescription drugs. But who is most in need? A 2005 study shows that uninsured adults are twice as likely as insured adults to say that they or a family member cut pills, did not fill a prescription, or skipped medical treatment in the past year because of cost. High drug costs can put a patient's health at risk. While they probably help some people, drug samples are like transparent band-aids unable to conceal our broken health care system.

comments (8)

1 Posted by Jennifer at 01/31/08 12:31 PM

several years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesteral and my doctor knew that my financial situation would not allow for any kind of medication, so for almost 2 years when I finally got insurance she gave me samples of the 3 medications I needed to get me through. She saved my life. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one she did it for either. She genuinely cared about her patients. God bless her.

2 Posted by Terry Reynolds at 02/02/08 12:01 PM

If you are seeing a private practice physician, who sees pharmaceutical representatives, samples are more than likely available to you through your physician.
If you are seeing a physician at an Emergency room physician due to a lack of insurance, chances are slim you would receive samples.
Pharmaceutical companies have indigent patient programs, as well as rebates to assist with cost reduction. Now many pharmacies are offering free antibiotics, and $4.00 prescriptions so there is almost no reason that someone cannot receive/afford needed medications.

3 Posted by Cristian at 05/28/08 11:56 AM

Let me put the problem this way because some people just see the problem from one side and there is a second one and maybe more. If you are a doctor in a drug rehab facility in a poor area where the majority of people can't afford to buy drugs they need, wouldn't it be wiser to accept a free gift... It will be probably be better than nothing.

4 Posted by Info-About.com at 08/13/08 12:13 AM

Interesting. Here is a Medication Safety Alert the Institute for Safe Medication Practices published on things to remember when receiving free prescription drug samples from your doctor. http://www.ismp.org/newsletters/consumer/alerts/Samples.asp

5 Posted by Rita at 01/12/09 04:15 PM

The trouble with free samples is that they are probably for the expensive brand-name drugs that the drug rep is pushing, not an inexpensive generic. For example, I’ve seen ads on TV for Caduet. It has two ingredients. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug! I think that RxDrugCard.com is the best drug card available for prescription discounts.

6 Posted by Jennie at 01/20/09 05:55 PM

I am a woman with Endrometreosis and I finally found a Dr. who understands my situation. After 8yrs of hearing theirs nothing we can do for you it was nice but then the bills started rolling in and pain medication is the only thing we have found that works but I either had to choose rent or my oxycotin's when the hydrocodone's stop working I spend approx $400.00 a month on just pain meds it's hard to do anything with out them. I can't get any kind help with out paying out the butt for insurance and every site I go to online is wanting money. I just want to feel normal and not have to deal with choosing a place to live or medication. I do go to Iowa City it's suppose to be a free hospital but it's 3 hours away and I don't have a job right now my job ended when my pain was so severe I was going to have a hysterectomy. Then I found out it was going to be $50,000 so that's when I hooked up with the free hospital but they won't do the surgery so now my bill is $800.00 with my normal Doctor and they won't let me see her until I get some of it paid. So my medication will be cut off till I get employed which I can start at the hospital as of Thursday but with out my meds walking is even a problem most the time. I really am between a rock and a hard place. What do I do? Anyone. I asked Iowa City to help with my pain meds which they can give them to me free. Their answer was we would prefer you to continue getting your pain meds from your regular doctor. I told that doctor I can't afford them and they just don't care. I seen several Dr. that agree that hysterectomy would be the way to go. But what do you do when Dr. just don't listen and won't help you with what you know works and you are at your wit's end with pain.

7 Posted by Betsy at 02/03/09 01:10 PM

Free samples are usually new drugs. Cheaper to have generics prescribed. I found an excellent prescription discount card at www.rxdrugcard.com. Look at their website to see what you would pay for your meds. The family membership fee is only $4.95 a month.

8 Posted by wayne at 03/17/09 01:52 PM

To control the pain we must attend to the specialist because we can give him what is appropriate and what we need, for example I take vicodin which is a medicine used to counter severe pain that I have for years, but I prescribed rioja the doctor, I take it in moderation because I read in findrxonline.com which is a medicine that causes anxiety, and we must control it as it can affect your nervous system, and not because it really automediquen could be dangerous.