Survey: Drug Samples Don’t Cut Costs

People who get free drug samples may spend more, not less, on prescriptions, a study finds. The study used data on 5,709 people from a U.S. health survey. In two years, 14% received at least one free drug sample. In the six months before this, they spent an average of $166 on prescription drugs. They spent about $244 during the six months they got the sample and $212 in the next six months. People who didn’t get free samples spent about $178 in six months. HealthDay News reported on the study March 24. It was in the journal Medical Care.