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Do you think samples drive up the cost of health care, or reduce health care costs because you can give samples to patients who cant afford medications?
#Response DateOther (please specify)
1.1/30/2008 2:10:00 PMlittle effect
2.1/30/2008 2:12:00 PMneither
3.1/30/2008 2:31:00 PMlittle effect
4.1/30/2008 3:13:00 PMhelp those who can't pay but uses newer more expensive drugs
5.1/30/2008 3:19:00 PMSamples are necessary in a free clinic. Many patients cannot afford even low co-pays.
6.1/30/2008 3:35:00 PMFor many places, they are not given to the needy. Use in practices with low income patients should be continued.
7.1/30/2008 3:48:00 PMdo not make difference
8.1/30/2008 3:48:00 PMdo not make difference
9.1/30/2008 4:17:00 PMSamples reduce heath care costs to the individual only.
10.1/30/2008 4:26:00 PMwill have no impact
11.1/30/2008 5:57:00 PMA trivial impact compared to other pharmaceutical practices.
12.1/30/2008 6:02:00 PMMarginal impact
13.1/30/2008 6:31:00 PMThey can do either, depending on the reasons for using the samples.
14.1/30/2008 6:53:00 PMNot sure
15.1/30/2008 7:00:00 PMindifferent
16.1/30/2008 7:40:00 PMEither can happen. In my own practice, I doubt they drove up costs, because I used them to try new therapies, when existing ones didn't work, for titration and for patients without means to obtain medicines.
17.1/30/2008 7:50:00 PMOverall, samples make it easier for docs to start pts on newer and more expensive drugs with starter paks
18.1/30/2008 8:11:00 PMI don't accept samples
19.1/30/2008 8:24:00 PMi think its mixed, there are some costs to package samples differently,
20.1/30/2008 9:00:00 PMI dont know
21.1/30/2008 9:25:00 PMno opinion
22.1/30/2008 9:54:00 PMReduce cost to that particular patient but the company is making the profit from insurances and other patients so it is likely driving up the cost for other payers.
23.1/30/2008 10:37:00 PMI think samples reduce costs, but this is a tertiary care clinic, and our patients have largely failed the cheaper generic choices by the time they have arrived here.
24.1/30/2008 11:11:00 PMThis is neutral to the cost since the companies would either give samples or do other advertising
25.1/31/2008 1:22:00 AMNeither increase or decrease. There is no free lunch. The cost of the medicine comes from increased pricing
26.1/31/2008 2:49:00 AMdepends on the med
27.1/31/2008 1:39:00 PMNeutral
28.1/31/2008 5:55:00 PMnot a significant issue
29.1/31/2008 6:10:00 PMThe best way are prospective studies with samples
30.1/31/2008 6:40:00 PMprobably neither
31.1/31/2008 7:11:00 PMI rather have the $19,000 spent on influencing me in coupons for prescription costs to give to needy patients
32.1/31/2008 9:27:00 PMReduce costs by allowing pt to try before having to purchase a full Rx
33.1/31/2008 10:43:00 PMI am neutral about this
34.2/1/2008 8:40:00 PMI use the samples to reduce the cost to my specific patients. However, over all, I must admit that they probably drive up the cost of care.
35.2/2/2008 2:23:00 AMI am not sure ssamples impact oncology patients health care costs; if anything, it enables me to provide medications to patients who otherwise would not be able to pay for them
36.2/2/2008 6:12:00 AMsamples for new expensive, unnecessary drugs raise health care costs by getting patients &quot;hooked&quot; on a more expensive version but samples for essential drugs and cheaper drugs are OK
37.2/4/2008 7:58:00 PMdon't know
38.2/7/2008 1:57:00 AMDon't know