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The billions of dollars' worth of free medication samples distributed in the U.S. each year are often cited as evidence of the pharmaceutical industry's philanthropy. Harvard researchers analyzed data from a large nationwide survey to determine the socioeconomic characteristics of individuals receiving these gifts.
Almost 4000 respondents (12% of the total) reported receiving free samples during 2003; 82% had stable health insurance and 72% had an income greater than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty line. Those who visited a private medical office for care had a higher likelihood of receiving samples, as did those born in the U.S., those who spoke English, and those with more education. In neither of two multivariate analyses did pove…