Pediatrics study finds drug samples may be putting children at risk

10/06/2008

Many children who receive drug samples from the doctor’s office took drugs that were later subject to serious safety warnings, according to a new study in Pediatrics. The study, in which authors looked at a 2004 patient survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raises questions about the safety and appropriateness of pediatric sampling practices, considering the lack of standards, labeling, and directions that come with the popular pharmaceutical marketing handouts.

According to the New York Times, the study found that more than 500,000 children had been given samples that were later tagged with FDA safety warnings, including a cancer risk for eczema-drug Elidel.  The study also found that children from lower-income families did not receive more drug samples than those from higher-income families, an unsurprising finding, as poor children tend to make fewer doctor visits.  Once in the doctor’s office, though,uninsured kids were more likely to get samples than well-insured ones.