In yesterday's Free Press Article:
State police say they overstepped boundaries on drug investigation
Published: Saturday, December 8, 2007
By Terri Hallenbeck
Free Press Staff Writer
"Rick Hogle, owner of Fairfax Pharmacy, said he was one of the pharmacists who was asked for the information and it put him in a bind between helping police solve serious crimes and protecting patient confidentiality. He said he declined to provide the information. When police are targeting a specific suspect accused of prescription fraud, he's happy to help, he said. Without a link to a crime, though, he fears he'd be violating federal patient privacy laws.
"I understand police have a tough job to do," he said. "If they have an individual they're investigating, any pharmacist in the state would help them."
Customers receiving the drugs in question -- including amphetamines and the painkiller oxycodone -- might be prescribed them after dental surgery or for other common reasons, he said.
Hogle said he'd like to see the law clarified so that he is not left making a decision about whether police are making a blanket request or pursuing a specific lead. To read the full article, click the following link:
