Pill Mill Bill Advances in the Legislature April 27, 2011 | WMFE - The state Senate is continuing debate this week on a measure to crack down on rogue pain management clinics. Critics say most of the clinics are not legitimate medical practices but "pill mills." They say the storefront operations dispense large quantities of powerful pain medications on a cash-only basis to nearly anyone with only a perfunctory physical examination.
State Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff, a Republican from Ft. Lauderdale, argued for provisions in the bill to include due process and privacy protections. Bogdanoff said the bill may be overreaching if it allows the database to be searched without a warrant or clinic records to be seized without subpoenas. The statewide prescription tracking database has the support of Attorney General Pam Bondi and most state law enforcement agencies. Gov. Rick Scott also supports the database although he initially opposed it due to concerns over patient privacy, The bill is heading for a final hearing later this week.
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