Maine datamining law suit statement

Three major health information companies (IMS Health, Versipan and Wolters Kluwer Health) have issued a joint statement concerning the preliminary injunction hearing on a state law (Maine LD-4) that would prevent the gathering of prescribing information from health care professionals for "drug marketing purposes" (Marketletter December 3). The court case in the northeastern state of Maine follows a recent victory by the firms against a similar law in neighboring New Hampshire (Marketletters passim).

The joint statement declares: "we simply believe that the Maine statute is not good health care policy. The key to improving health care quality, and reducing costs and variability in treatment is access to more information - not less. Provider-level prescription data is a critical resource in this information flow for all stakeholders."