I am outraged at Virginia's prescription drug monitoring law that recently went into effect statewide. This law requires all pharmacists operating in the state to report whenever they dispense certain types of prescription drugs, mainly painkillers. The date, type of drug, name of patient, and name of the prescribing doctor are then recorded in a state prescription database. This database can be searched by police and other law enforcement officials to try to catch those who are abusing painkillers by "doctor shopping", i.e., seeing multiple doctors in order to get extra quantities and/or different types of painkillers. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was recently found guilty of doing this.

However, I don't care how many prescription drug abusers this program may or may not catch. This program is inappropriate and just plain wrong. It's an invasion of personal privacy and a tool for potential abuse.

What prescriptions drugs people use is a private matter between them and their doctor(s) and none of anyone else's business. Where are all the folks who are always screaming about a "woman's right to choose" an abortion? Why are these people so silent when the subject changes to prescription drugs? I wonder what they would think about a state abortion database.

Furthermore, you can count on the fact that this program will be abused by law enforcement and other officials. They will use it to harass innocent people who need to be taking certain kinds of legal drugs to get them through their excruciating daily routines. I've heard some say that we shouldn't worry because only police and other law enforcement officials can access the database. But those are the parties I'm the most worried about! That's like saying, "Don't worry, the only ones with access to the hen house will be the foxes."