ASK THE DOCTOR - Free Medication Samples?

Question: “My doctor gave me free samples of a new medicine to take for my blood pressure; how can the drug companies afford to give away free samples?”

Answer: While necessity is the mother of invention; the price tag for “invention” of new drugs would not be a very nice Mother’s Day gift. The estimated cost of bringing a new drug to market is greater than $500 million dollars. Once the new drug is approved by the FDA, the manufacturer holds exclusive rights on the brand name drug for 5 to 7 years. During this time no generic products are allowed to compete against the brand name. This allows the drug company to set the price at a level to recoup their investment and hopefully make a profit.

Have you ever wondered why a brand name drug which costs $130.00/ month later sells for $4.00/month once it is available as a generic? The majority of the $500 million to develop a new drug is related to research and development expenses. The actual cost to manufacture a pill is only pennies per dose. Thus, it is cost-effective for the drug company to offer “free” samples of medicine to patients who they hope will continue using the new medication.

The development of new drugs is essential if we are to continue making progress against diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Newer is not always better however. When given a prescription by your physician you should always ask the doctor to explain what the medication is for and how it works, including the benefits and side effects. Because the newer medications are very expensive, I also suggest asking your physician if there are less expensive generic alternatives that might be equally effective. When a newer medication is indicated, using a free sample is a good way to try the new medicine and determine how well it works before buying it. Remember: Caveat emptor - "Let the buyer beware".

If you would like to submit a question please contact Jennifer Trebler at jtrebler@ramonavna.org.