Interestingly enough, do you know where the majority of that marketing is spent?
Free samples make up over 80% of that budget. By providing free samples to MDs, the MD can play hero by offering free drugs to their patients and patients are more likely to ask for a refill of that drug once they run out and it's time for their insurance to start paying.
Never mind that we have a generic drug available at 1/100th the cost with a better/longer safety profile. That patient is now attached to the free drug they are already taking and will continue with that.
Interestingly enough, do you know where the majority of that marketing is spent?
Free samples make up over 80% of that budget. By providing free samples to MDs, the MD can play hero by offering free drugs to their patients and patients are more likely to ask for a refill of that drug once they run out and it's time for their insurance to start paying.
Never mind that we have a generic drug available at 1/100th the cost with a better/longer safety profile. That patient is now attached to the free drug they are already taking and will continue with that.