STAT

AMA urges Congress not to loosen restrictions on privacy for patients with addiction history

Pitting itself against mental health and hospital groups, the AMA is urging Congress not to allow doctors to more freely share information about a patient’s history of drug use.
Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), left, and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), chairman and ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association is opposing a change to patient privacy laws that would allow doctors to more freely share information about a patient’s history of substance use, a proposal that has divided the health care community and highlighted some of the challenges of addressing the opioid epidemic.

In a letter to lawmakers obtained by STAT, the AMA said it believed there was a “fundamental misunderstanding” among groups working to incorporate the proposal into a . Relaxing restrictions on

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT2 min read
STAT+: Brain Biopsies On ‘Vulnerable’ Patients At Mount Sinai Set Off Alarm Bells At FDA, Documents Show
A STAT Investigation: Brain biopsies on "vulnerable" patients at Mount Sinai set off alarm bells at FDA, documents show.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About A Senate Probe Into Novo Pricing, A New UTI Antibiotic, And More
The U.S. Senate health committee is investigating the prices Novo Nordisk charges for its blockbuster medications Ozempic and Wegovy.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About CVS And Humira Biosimilars, Schumer’s Broken Insulin Promise, And More
New prescriptions for biosimilar versions of Humira, one of the best-selling drugs in the U.S., surged to 36% from just 5% during the first week of April.

Related