Drug Samples, Good or Bad?

In recent months there has been much discussion over the pros and cons of doctors having free samples at their disposal to give to patients.

Some of the benefits to free samples are that patients are able to begin treatment immediately. They can also see if they can tolerate the medicine without going out and buying a full prescription. There are also huge benefits for doctors who treat poor patients. With samples they have drugs on hand for them to use, especially for the uninsured. In addition many physicians feel that these sales representatives give them up to date information on the new drugs that are available on the market.

There has also been discussion about the negative aspects of free samples. Some critics think that when prescribing medicine, doctors won’t choose the best drugs but instead the ones that they have available in their cabinets because those are prevalent in their minds. In addition, some doctors feel as if they are being overran by sales representatives and that their products are just piling up in their facilities. When doctors give patients samples, they are of new and expensive brand-name medications, this would drive up the cost of healthcare for people in the long run.

The biggest problem with this free sampling is the relationship that is established between the doctor and the sales representative. This is just a small part is the huge controversy of how much pharmaceutical companies are controlling way too much in the industry. When their power is as unchecked as it has been in the past years than the companies will continue to be able to increase prices for drugs and control the entire industry. Recent attempts have been made by the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the power of the pharmaceutical companies but it will be interesting to see how much of a difference these changes make.

A large part of this countries public policy comes from agencies. As a part of the United States Health and Human Services Agency, it is up to the FDA to step up and control these pharmaceutical companies.