CVS Must Protect Patient Privacy

When you get a prescription from the pharmacy, you probably don’t think the pharmacy will be sharing that information with law enforcement.

But according to concerns raised recently by Democrats in Congress (1), that’s exactly what’s happening. Major pharmacies - CVS Health, Kroger, and Rite Aid - trained staff to turn over data to law enforcement in store without a warrant. 

Since the fall of Roe v Wade, patients have had to travel out of state to access abortion healthcare and medication. Unfortunately, according to the Democrats’ investigation, staff at CVS and some other pharmacies are handing customer records over in stores with no questions asked.

Violating patient privacy in this way is totally unacceptable. Sign the petition if you agree CVS must protect patient privacy. 

The records of each patient  can be accessed from any pharmacy. Hypothetically if a patient in a state where abortion is illegal crosses to another state to access medication legally, police in her home state can obtain the prescription records. 

Pharmacies should be protecting their patients, not passing sensitive information over to law enforcement. An update to HIPAA should be made so patients prescription information is kept private, unless there is a warrant or judge-issued subpoena. Pharmacies should require a warrant or judge-issued subpoena to turn over patients sensitive information. 

If you agree, sign the petition stating national pharmacies like CVS must protect patient privacy. 

CITATIONS:
https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/hhs_pharmacy_surveillance_letter_signed.pdf