Personal Use of Drug Samples by Physicians and Office Staff

To the Editor. —I take serious offense regarding the article by Dr Westfall and colleagues¹ on the personal use of drug samples by physicians and office staff. In our office we use many samples, and 90% or more are for the benefit of the patients. Samples are a great boon to needy patients, and they are hardly used by our office staff and physicians. The Food and Drug Administration and the government will definitely look at this most unscientific report very negatively. This is only going to hurt the needy patients who get serious benefit from such samples offered by the pharmaceutical companies.