Hightower Lowdown

If you’ve been to a pharmacy lately, you’ve been handed a notice about its policies regarding your private medical data.

At the top, these notices proclaim something reassuring like, “We’ll guard your privacy like a screeching momma eagle protecting her eaglets.” But alas, these “privacy policies”—required by a new federal law—don’t stop there, going on with several pages of fine print.

I recently got one issued by the national drug chain Walgreens, whose official corporate slogan is “The Pharmacy America Trusts.” At the top of their eight-page notice, Walgreens flatly declares: “We will not use or disclose your [personal health information] without your written authorization.” But then comes this kicker: “. . . except as described or otherwise permitted by this notice.” Uh-oh, here we go.

In fact, Walgreens will turn loose your records anytime they’re requested to do so by workers’ comp authorities, the police, an opposing lawyer in a court case, the Secret Service, FBI, CIA, Pentagon, and other federal intelligence agencies, the homeland security czar, and a category called “other.” Also, they can use your medical records “as part of a fundraising effort.”

You do have the right to “request restrictions” on how Walgreens uses your information. But: “We are not required to agree to those restrictions,” reads the corporate document.

This isn’t protection . . . it’s a legalized invasion of our privacy rights.