Part Two on the Vermont State Police/Pharmacies/4th Amendment story was posted on Green Mountain Daily this morning:

UPDATE: Based on confirmation from law enforcement sources, pharmacies that were approached by the State Police on Friday November 30th and from legal sources representing people affected by State Police conduct last Friday, GMD can add the following to the reporting that has occurred already.

• The Department of Public Safety was planning last weeks pharmacy checks (“Fishing Derby Friday”) for several weeks.
• The State Police visited multiple pharmacies on Friday November 30th.
• At least two three pharmacies were told to by the State Police to turn over patient profiles for every patient who received a schedule II prescription from that pharmacy.
• At least one pharmacy was told it would be required to update the patient profile information with the police every two weeks.
• At several pharmacies the police merely introduced themselves to the pharmacist, gave their business cards and asked the pharmacist to call the police officer if they encountered any suspicious behavior such as indications of “Doctor shopping” or prescription fraud.
• Late Friday, due to intense push back and complaints from pharmacists who were concerned about requests from the Vermont State Police that they reveal confidential and federally protected medical information about their customers, State Police management sent an email to all State Police involved with the pharmacy checks throughout the state instructing them to cease the pharmacy checks. After the email went out, Fish Derby Friday ceased (for now).

There’s a more comprehensive update by the same author crossposted to Daily Kos.

Julie Waters, aka juliewolf on Kos, has knocked the top out on this one. Way. To. Go.

Peace.

Deborah Alicen