Bitter Pills:Medicines & The Third World Poor | Page 186

16 Samples
16.1 Except when provided for identification or
demonstration purposes, samples should only be supplied in response to-a signed request from a doctor;
such requests, except in respect of products controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. may not be
accepted on a pre-printed card or form which incorporates more than the company name and address.
The form must be handed by a representative to the
doctor who should then add all other details.
Wherever practicable, an individual sample should
not represent more than four days treatment for a single
patient.When sample*are provided to assist doctors in
the recognition or identification of a product, or to
demonstrate the use of a particular apparatus or equipment, only the minimum quantity necessary for this
purpose should be supplied.
16.2 Where samples of products restricted by law to
supply on prescription are distributed by a representative, the sample must be handed direct to the doctor
or given to a person authorised t o receive the sample
on his behalf. A similar practice must be adopted for
products which it would be unsafe to use except
under medical supervision.
16.3 Samples of products restricted by law to supply
on prescription, which are made available to representatives for distribution, should be strictly limited in
quantity and an adequate system of accountability
should be established.
16.4 Samples sent by post must be packed so as to
be reasonably secure against the package being open
by young children.
16.5 Distribution of samples in hospitals should comply with individual hospital regulations, if any.

V. Samples

Samples may be supplied to
the medical and allied
professions to familiarize
them with the products, to
enable them to gain experience
with the product in their'
practice, or upon request.

Codes of Practice on samples. Left, the voluntary code of the Association of British Phannaceutical Industries; right,
from the Code of the IFPMA.

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