MANUFACTURERS DISTRIBUTION OF DRUG SAMPLES TO A FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC

The distribution of drug product samples by pharmaceutical companies t o a family medicine clinic was studied. Data on all deliveries of drug samples to the clinic site of a university-affiliate family medicine residency program from November 1992 through December 1993 were collec ted. In addition, the 11 faculty family physicians were surveyed about their experiences with the deliveries of samples. Forty-three manufac turers delivered samples of 331 drugs during the 14-month study period . There were 366 visits by the drug company representatives, who made 1117 separate deliveries. The total value of the samples, based on the average wholesale price, was $240,782. Twenty-nine percent of the dru gs were nonformulary and only 49% were stocked by the pharmacy. The ph ysicians surveyed indicated that they were either usually or always as ked to sign for samples they did not in fact request, that they usuall y did not know what was recorded on the receipts for samples that they signed, and that they seldom verified what was actually delivered. Ph armaceutical manufacturers delivered large quantities of drug samples during the study period, and many of the drugs were nonformulary or no t stocked by the pharmacy. The physicians indicated that they were not well informed about delivered samples for which they signed receipts.