US Pharmacy Chain Sued Over Customer-Data Privacy

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), a San Diego-based non-profit consumer advocacy group, has recently filed a lawsuit alleging that the Albertsons supermarket chain and its affiliated pharmacy units have violated the privacy rights of thousands of customers by selling confidential medical information to drug companies for marketing purposes. In the lawsuit, PRC claims that pharmaceutical companies used customers' personal information to create targeted marketing campaigns in which customers were contacted to remind them to renew prescriptions and to make suggestions about alternative medicines to those currently being prescribed. These communications appeared as though they were sent from their pharmacists but, in fact, were sent from the pharmaceutical company. Albertsons was allegedly paid between $3.00 to $4.50 per letter, and $12 to $15 for each telephone inquiry made to customers. PRC has asserted that even if, strictly speaking, this did not amount to a sale of information to the pharmaceutical companies, nevertheless there was a breach of the California law which prohibits pharmacies from selling, sharing, or otherwise using any medical information for any purpose. The pharmaceutical companies involved in the marketing are included as defendants in the action. For more information about the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, visit: http://www.privacyrights.org. For a copy of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse press release on this topic, visit: http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/PharmRelease.htm. Summary by: Sue Diaz