title: Prescription data mining and the protection of patients' interests.
abstract: Pharmaceutical companies have exploited health information technology to "mine" data from drug prescriptions and use the data to better target their sales pitches to physicians. This article considers the policy arguments and first amendment implications regarding state regulation of data mining. It concludes that the legislative provisions are desirable and should withstand constitutional challenge.
authors.affiliation: Center for Law and Health, at the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orentlicher
mesh_terms: D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D057225:Data Mining / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D014481:United States