The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about whether a state may prohibit the purchase of doctor prescription records by pharmaceutical sales representatives. While patient privacy is protected, doctors enjoy no privacy so pharmaceutical companies seek data on which drugs and brands doctors prescribe.
The companies are contending that a Vermont law allowing doctors to elect to keep their prescription information private violates the First Amendment rights of data miners and denies information to doctors and nurse practitioners about the safety of prescription drugs. -db
From NPR, April 26, 2011, by Nina Totenberg