AMA to Roanoke Times: Sound reasons for sharing information

Roanoke Times
Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Your May 24 editorial "Breach of privacy" fails to acknowledge the efforts the American Medical Association is making to insulate physicians from unwanted interactions with pharmaceutical salespersons and the inappropriate use of their prescribing data.

The AMA's Physician Data Restriction Program offers physicians a choice and control in how prescribing data are made available.

Physicians can use the PDRP to designate their prescription data as off limits to drug salespeople and register complaints against drug companies or their sales staff who use the data inappropriately.

However, there are legitimate, valid reasons to collect prescribing information from physicians, including applying it toward evidence-based medical research, structuring clinical trials, ensuring efficient drug recalls, aiding the Food and Drug Administration's ongoing post-approval assessment of drug benefits vs. risks.

During the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this information was critical in caring for displaced patients. Many physicians are now using this data to drive their own quality improvement efforts.

The AMA believes giving physicians choice and control over how their prescription data is shared is a far better solution than over-reaching legislation that prohibits access to this data and is saddled with several unintended consequences that could hamper physicians' quality improvement efforts and compromise patient care.

Sincerely,

William G. Plested, MD
President, American Medical Association