Many leading pharmaceutical companies recognize the need to explore different means and mechanisms to supply physicians and their patients with samples of prescription medications. This is especially true since many physicians have restricted access to the sales reps that traditionally helped order and restock samples as part of their detailing visits.
While some companies have made substantial forays into the world of physician e-sampling, usually as a supplement to traditional sampling, others have done less in this area. This is important when you consider that 30 percent of patients in the United States are more likely to fill a prescription after initially receiving a sample from a physician. This study identifies and documents current practices and trends in physician e-sampling and explores the rationale for different tactical approaches to sampling and what constitutes success in physician e-sampling.