Providing samples to physicians is one of the best ways, if not the best way, for pharmaceutical representatives to gain access to their customers and encourage physicians to prescribe their
products. However, traditional sampling (making sample drops in person) is not the only, or the most efficient, way for sales
representatives to provide samples. Many pharmaceutical companies, especially the larger ones, offer e-sampling as a supplement
to traditional sampling.
Methods of e-sampling
There are three main methods of e-sampling in the United States.
First, physicians can order samples online, and samples are delivered by mail to each physician's practice.
Second, physicians can go online, print out sample vouchers or coupons, and then give them to patients along with a prescription
for the product indicated on the voucher or coupon. The patient then presents both the prescription and the voucher or coupon
to the pharmacy to receive a sample or a discount on the prescription, respectively.
And third, U.S. patients can go online and print their own sample voucher or coupon, ask their physician for a prescription
for the product indicated on the voucher or coupon, and fill it at the pharmacy (same as above). This option is not available
in most countries, where direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals is often prohibited by law.
While e-sampling has a long way to go in terms of penetration into the healthcare marketplace, it has been gaining acceptance.
PDMA compliance
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Consumers and e-sampling. According to a recent study ("eSampling Strategies: Using Internet Technologies to Increase Impact at the Point of Care")
by the New York-based online database and market analysis company Datamonitor, 30% of U.S. consumers report that they are
most likely to fill a prescription after initially receiving a sample from their physician. A further 10% are most likely
to fill a prescription if they receive a voucher from their physician, and 3% are most likely to fill a prescription if they
download a voucher from the Internet and take it to their physician to request the drug. Fifty-seven percent report that they
will fill a prescription regardless of how they receive the drug.
Physicians and e-sampling. The same Datamonitor study found that 41% of physicians are willing to order sample packets over the Internet, while 18%
are willing to print vouchers for patients to take to the pharmacy. About 11% are willing to validate vouchers printed by
patients. The majority of physicians (62%), however, still prefer to receive samples directly from sales representatives.
Kimberly O'Malley, e-health analyst at Datamonitor, says, "Rural physicians may be used to being more proactive when it comes
to ordering samples. It may be more difficult to persuade urban physicians to go online because the number of representatives
visiting their offices is much higher."
Make the best of e-sampling
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Although physicians in general say they prefer traditional sampling, many are dissatisfied with the system for two main reasons,
according to the Datamonitor study. Physicians say, first, that they receive too few drug samples and, second, that the supply
of drug samples is too unpredictable.
