Robert Gehrke reports:
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration may take the state of Utah to court over a law that took effect earlier this year aimed at protecting the privacy of information in the state’s controlled-substance database.
After discovering that law enforcement had abused the database, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, sponsored the bill that required police agencies to get a warrant from a judge before searching the registry.
But the DEA contends that it should be able to access the records with a simple administrative subpoena — essentially a demand for information that the law enforcement agency can issue itself, without judicial review.
Read more on Salt Lake Tribune.
Not surprisingly, I’m rooting for Utah on this one. Unless there’s an emergency, there’s no reason why law enforcement shouldn’t have to get a warrant to access prescription records. Our government has gotten us somewhat used to lower standards for accessing our information, but we need to resist that and push back. Even if it’s not our records they’re particularly interested in – as would be the case if they are investigating a doctor or possible pill mill – our medical records still deserve the highest levels of protection.