Most patients are unaware that when they fill a prescription at a pharmacy, the pharmacy sells identifying information about the prescribing doctor to “data miners.” Data miners are firms that analyze the information and produce reports on the prescriber’s behavior: is the doctor quick to prescribe new drugs on the market? does the doctor substitute drugs… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Sorrell v IMS Health
Privacy of Pharmaceutical Records Challenged
Posted in Breach Notification Laws, Cloud Computing, Coverage, Cyber Breach, Health Records Privacy, HIPPA, Insurance, Privacy, Privacy Legislation, ReinsuranceWhen a pharmacy fills a prescription, it records the drug, dosage, prescribing physician, age and gender of the patient. The pharmacy sells this information to “data miners” who compile reports about the physician’s prescription habits. The data miners then sell their research to pharmaceutical companies, who use the data for target marketing to doctors most likely to… Continue Reading