Prescription sample transaction payment card

A method comprising a plurality of steps performed by a computing apparatus executing software, wherein the steps include:

• browsing, using an input device of a user interface, to an Internet website in communication with a web service having a database of information that includes a plurality of different free pharmaceutical samples;
• receiving, using the input device of the user interface:
• an identifier, quantity, and dosage of:
• a selected one said free prescription medical supply sample;
• and
• a prescription for a prescription medical supply, other than the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample, being prescribed by a prescribing medical practitioner to a patient;
• sending a transmission out to the web service including the identifier for the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample;
• receiving a transmission from the network, in response to the sending, and including free prescription medical supply sample information including:
• a pharmaceutical company account for a dispensing pharmacist to charge the cost of the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample for payment to a dispensing pharmacist account to reimburse the dispensing pharmacist for the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample;
• and
• an image corresponding to the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample;
• receiving a prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card;
• writing to memory of the prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card:
• the free prescription medical supply sample information;
• the identifier for the patient;
• an identifier for the prescribing medical practitioner prescribing:
• the prescription to the patient;
• and
• the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample;
• and
• an image of the prescription for the patient from the prescribing medical practitioner;
• and
• rendering the image corresponding to the selected one said free prescription medical supply sample on a surface of the prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card, wherein:
• the pharmaceutical company account is a type of consumer account issued by an issuer to a pharmaceutical company;
• the prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card is a type of a portable consumer transaction payment device that is associated with a consumer account for a consumer to engage in a plurality of transactions on the consumer account with a plurality of merchants in a payment processing network;
• the payment processing network includes a plurality of merchants and consumers engaging in a plurality of transactions on a plurality of respective consumer accounts that respective issuers issue to the consumers;
• and
• each said transaction involves the merchant submitting the transaction to an acquirer for processing by a transaction handler who requests the issuer to obtain payment for the transaction from the consumer account, and wherein the issuer forwards the payment to the transaction handler who forwards the payment to the acquirer to reimburse the merchant for the transaction.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving:
• an identifier, quantity, and dosage of a free prescription medical supply sample;
• an identifier for a prescribing medical practitioner;
• and
• an identifier for a patient;
• first communication means for sending a transmission out to a network including the identifier for the free prescription medical supply sample;
• second communication means for receiving a transmission from the network, in response to the sending, including free prescription medical supply sample information that includes:
• a pharmaceutical company account for a dispensing pharmacist to charge the cost of the free prescription medical supply sample for payment to a dispensing pharmacist account to reimburse the dispensing pharmacist for the free prescription medical supply sample;
• and
• an image corresponding to the free prescription medical supply sample;
• means for writing to data in memory of a prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card, the data including:
• the identifier, quantity, and dosage of the free prescription medical supply sample;
• the identifier for a prescribing medical practitioner;
• the identifier for the patient;
• and
• the pharmaceutical company account;
• and
• means for printing the image corresponding to the free prescription medical supply sample on a surface of the prescription medical supply sample transaction payment card.