Henry Waxman: “I believe that H.R. 3015, legislation to support State controlled substance monitoring programs, is well intentioned.…”

“I believe that H.R. 3015, legislation to support State controlled substance monitoring programs, is well intentioned. Non-medical use of controlled substances is a serious problem. Establishing State databases that contain information on prescriptions for such substances may help stem the practice of individuals seeking prescriptions from multiple providers for the purpose of non-medical use. However, as we forge policies to facilitate controlled substance prescription information sharing among providers, States, and others, we must carefully consider the privacy implications of such steps. The databases H.R. 3015 supports potentially will contain a vast amount of personal medical information--including individually identifiable data regarding many individuals who are given prescriptions for legitimate medical reasons such as recovery from surgery. The last thing we want to do is deter individuals from seeking medical care out of fear that the privacy of their health information will not be protected. I am pleased that, following up on concerns I expressed when the bill was under consideration in committee, sponsors of the measure agreed to add language that is a step forward from earlier versions of the bill with respect to privacy protection.”