News and analysis
 Nouvelles et analyses
 

CMA sets rules for sale of prescribing data

Canadian Medical Association Journal 1997; 156; 155
Nine months after becoming aware of the issue, the CMA has approved a statement of principles governing the sale of prescribing data. The issue arose last spring after the Ontario Medical Association learned that IMS Canada, a health-information company based in Montreal, had been purchasing pharmacy databases to develop prescriber profiles, which were then sold to drug companies.

At its December meeting the Board of Directors approved a 4-page statement that says physicians must be informed and give their consent for the compilation or sale of any prescribing data identifying them. As well, anonymity and confidentiality must be maintained for both physicians and patients, and physicians must be given the names of anyone who has been sold or given access to information about them. The next step will be dissemination of the policy to provincial privacy commissioners and bodies such as the National Association of Pharmacy Registrars.

The sale of prescription information angers many physicians. Dr. Michael Wyman, an OMA representative, told the board he refuses to see drug company representatives in his office "unless they come with a letter saying their company does not buy this data."

| CMAJ January 15, 1997 (vol 156, no 2) | News from the CMA |