title: Drug samples: friend or foe?
abstract: The common practice of drug manufacturers in providing 'free' samples to physicians has influenced the business of medicine in several ways. This article analyzes some of the pros and cons of drug sampling, including from professional, societal, economical, legal, and practical perspectives, and provides suggestions on how to dispense with some of the problems inherent in the current system.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, 79 South Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06430, USA. mpcoolidgemd@aol.com
authors.forename: Melvin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Coolidge
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D016527:Drug Costs; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics*; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations