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AJPH First Look, published online ahead of print Jun 12, 2008
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AJPH.2008.138990v1
98/8/1349    most recent
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August 2008, Vol 98, No. 8 | American Journal of Public Health 1349
© 2008 American Public Health Association
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.138990

LETTER

CUTRONA ET AL. RESPOND

Sarah L. Cutrona, MD, MPH, Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH, David H. Bor, MD, Danny McCormick, MD, MPH and David U. Himmelstein, MD

The authors are with the Department of Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, and the Harvard Medical School, Cambridge.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Sarah L. Cutrona, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Hospital 1493 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139 (slcutrona@gmail.com).

Because this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

We appreciate the comments made by Vincent et al. They raise several important points about the disadvantages of free drug sample use.

Free samples tend to be newer, more costly medications.1 By influencing prescribing, samples increase pharmaceutical costs for patients.2 For indigent patients who are given prescriptions to use after the sample is exhausted, these high costs can be prohibitive, which might lead to nonadherence. Patients relying exclusively on free samples instead of using affordable generic options or patient assistance programs encounter different challenges. These patients face an inconsistent free-sample supply and difficulty returning to a provider’s office in time . . . [Full Text]






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