title: The effect of medication samples on self-reported prescribing practices: a statewide, cross-sectional survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars annually to encourage clinicians to prescribe their medications. Small studies have demonstrated that one of the marketing strategies, the distribution of free sample medications, is associated with increased use of brand name medication over generic medication.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between the presence of drug samples in primary care clinics and prescription of preferred drug treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care prescribers in the state of Vermont.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prescribers were presented with two clinical vignettes and asked to provide the name of the medication they would prescribe in each case. We compared the responses of prescribers with and without samples in their clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred six prescribers out of the total population of 631 returned the survey and met the eligibility criteria. Seventy-two percent of prescribers had sample closets in their clinics. Seventy percent of clinicians with samples would prescribe a thiazide diuretic for hypertension compared to 91% in those without samples (P<0.01). For managing depression 91% of prescribers with samples would have provided a generic medication in a patient with no health insurance, compared to 100% of those without samples in their clinic (P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians with samples in their clinics were less likely to prescribe preferred medications for hypertension and depression.
authors.affiliation: The Office of Primary Care, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA. Richard.pinckney@uvm.edu
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pinckney
authors.forename: A Shams
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Helminski
authors.forename: Amanda G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Maclean
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hurowitz
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cote
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics*; D057566:Self Report; D014707:Vermont
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