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Health Information Compliance Alert

Privacy Notices:

ECKERD ENDOWS FAMU CHAIR TO PROTECT PATIENT PRIVACY

Published on Mon Jul 01, 2002

A murky health information policy notice has a major pharmacy chain paying to help others make sure they don't make the same mistake.

Last December the Eckerd Corp. was under scrutiny by the Florida Attorney General, who alleged the company had customers sign a form that didn't sufficiently make it clear that they were authorizing commercial use of their personal medical information. However, Eckerd cooperated with AG Bob Butterworth and, without admitting wrong-doing, the company agreed to fund an ethics chair at the Florida A&M School of Pharmacy to the tune of $1 million, according to a July 10 release. Additionally, Eckerd agreed to:

  • refrain from using prescription pick-up logs or forms to obtain customer authorization for marketing purposes;

  • restrict direct marketing of prescription drugs to customers who have provided written consent to do so;

  • fully advise customers of not only the type of medical information that will be disclosed, but to whom that data will be disclosed; and

  • provide "in every communication the company sends to customers" an easy way to withdraw consent; and other provisions.

    Butterworth said the primary concern of a pharmacist should be the safe and effective treatment of its patients, "not marketing opportunities."

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