The Ethical and Legal Aspects of Physician Data Mining
Physician data mining is a practice that many patients are unaware of. The practice is controversial and poses different reactions among different stakeholders. This paper will review the ethical and legal implications of data from the perspectives of patients and employees of drug companies.
The legality of Patient Data Mining
Mining the data of physicians should be illegal. This is because that data violates the privacy of patients. Even though the names of the patients to whom the physician prescribes drugs are not revealed, the issue remains controversial. The data influence drugs that the physician will prescribe since the drug sellers already have information of what the physician prescribes (Kaufman, 2007). This may lead to patients being prescribed expensive medicine, which may even be unnecessary for their treatment. Just like patient records are protected by HIPAA, so should physicians' data since such data directly relates to most of the patient medical information already protected.
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Patent’s Views about Physician Data Mining
As a patient, I feel scared and angry that pharmaceutical companies mine my doctor's data. This is because the practice is unethical and fueled by greed. It also makes me question the independence and effectiveness of my doctor's decision-making on the drugs prescribed.
Drug company’s Employees views on Physician Data Mining
I have mixed feelings about mining physician data as an employee of a drug company. On the one hand, I think that is how capitalist America works by pushing businesses in competitive environments to use each unprohibited opportunity available at their disposal to succeed. Mining physician data which is a practice that poses no specific danger to patients or unduly influences a doctor, is a legitimate act. On the other hand, as competition increases, it makes me wonder what more companies will do if they are not regulated today.
References
Kaufman, W. (2007, June 26). Drug industry mines physicians' data to boost sales . NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11382945?storyId=1138294
