The ACLU will be in court on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at 9:30am to argue that the federal government must obtain a warrant before accessing the private health information in New Hampshire’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The hearing will be held in Boston before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Earlier this year, the ACLU of RI joined with four other ACLU Affiliates, the National ACLU, and the New Hampshire Medical Society in filing a “friend of the court” brief arguing that law enforcement agents need a judicial warrant to obtain information from state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) databases.

The brief is in support of New Hampshire’s resistance to an administrative subpoena it received from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, seeking two years of information from that state’s PDMP about a patient.

The case has major implications for the medical privacy rights of Rhode Islanders.

More information on the case, US Department of Justice v. Jonas, can be found here.

WHO: Nathan Freed Wessler, ACLU staff attorney, will argue on behalf of amici before a three-judge panel. Attorneys for both parties will also present arguments.

WHEN: Thursday, October 10, 2019 at 9:30am

WHERE:
Court of Appeals Panel Courtroom, 7th floor
John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Boston, MA 02210