Infographics on Physician-Industry Ties

Check it out.

Sad News

The Supreme Court ruled against the Vermont data-mining law today. This was exactly what I was expecting, but it's still a disappointment.

The AG in Vermont claims this isn't the end:

Sorrell says the challenge now will be to continue to work to protect medical privacy and reduce health care costs without violating the Supreme Court's ruling. He calls it a step back, but not the end of the story.

Hard to see how the story has a happy ending though....

(If you're a doctor, go to this opt-out page to keep the AMA from selling your personal health information)

Early Returns Unfavorable

The AP reporter who watched the oral arguments doesn't seem to think the law has good chances.

Vermont v IMS Health

Oral arguments on the first data-mining case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court are being heard today.

I thought there might be a way to listen to the actual arguments live, but that doesn't seem to be the case. (Ridiculous in the 21st century, I say, if we claim to be trying to keep citizens engaged.)

But transcripts are put online pretty quickly. Here's a site I've found:

http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts.aspx

I gave a talk on data-mining at the Left Forum a few weeks ago. Most of the audience had never heard of data-mining. They were absolutely shocked that this existed. One of the questions after my talk was literally, "But they can't really have ALL that information, right?" And I had to say, Um, No, they do have all of it.

Oral arguments are April 26.

The Supremes

I guess I should blow the dust off this blog and kick the tires. The Supreme Court just agreed to hear the initial datamining case:

The justices agreed to review a data mining law adopted in 2007 in Vermont that prevented the sale, transmission or use of prescriber-identifiable information for marketing a prescription drug unless the prescribing doctor consented.

So I'll try to post a little more often as this develops. NPA may try to write an amicus brief, and certainly there will be opportunities for advocacy and press.