Editorial: Privacy even vexes pharmacies

Tuesday, July 24, 2001 | 9:37 a.m.

On Wednesday the state Board of Pharmacy will deal with a thorny issue that pharmacists sometimes must confront: What should a pharmacist do when he suspects that a customer may be abusing drugs? The state Board of Pharmacy is weighing disciplinary action against Scott Larsen, a Walgreen's drug store pharmacist in Las Vegas, for telling the North Las Vegas Police Department last August that one of its officers had filled a number of prescriptions for controlled substances from different physicians.

Larsen's revelation resulted in quite an impact -- for the police officer and for himself, too. The North Las Vegas Police Department fired the officer, Gina Carmody (the state Board of Pharmacy said she had sought the prescriptions for controlled substances after becoming addicted to them following a painful shoulder injury). Carmody is attempting to get her job back and the dispute is now being handled by an arbitrator. Larsen, meanwhile, faces the prospect of the board imposing sanctions, which could result in his license being taken away.

Pharmacists are placed in a tough role if they suspect substance abuse is occurring. Illegal drug use shouldn't be condoned, and pharmacists obviously want to prevent a customer from putting themselves in danger. But pharmacists also have an obligation -- morally and legally -- to protect patient confidentiality.

Joseph Kellogg, a pharmacist who is a member of the Board of Pharmacy, acknowledged to Sun reporter Emily Richmond that there are no required written steps that a pharmacist is supposed to take when it comes to reporting suspected substance abuse. Kellogg said a pharmacist should use his "professional judgment" in making the decision, which would include either calling the physician who wrote the prescription or contacting the pharmacy board's task force on controlled substances.

It's critical that the Board of Pharmacy constantly update the guidance it provides to pharmacists, clearly explaining in writing what's permissible and what's off-limits when disclosing patient information. Not only will this help pharmacists, but in the end it also will benefit their customers, who will feel more confident that adequate safeguards exist to protect such highly personal information.