Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6768
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
 
Publication type: Journal Article
Chiu JT.
Personal use of drug samples by physicians and office staff.
JAMA 1997 Nov 19; 278:(19):1568
Abstract:
Shen Nung who purportedly founded Chinese herbal medicine by testing hundreds of potentially medicinal plants would have been the first known offender. It is naïve to believe that such practice will make a quark of difference in drug cost. By choosing a certain brand a physician is actually giving the drug a personal endorsement. Although I agree that a physician should not use samples for a chronic condition, the short-term use can actually enhance treatment skill by noting the efficacy and adverse effects first hand.
Keywords:
*letter to the editor/United States/
Advertising*
Drug Industry*
Drug Utilization*
Ethics
Humans
Interprofessional Relations
Medical Staff*
Physicians*
United States