The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of a Vermont law aimed at the marketing of prescription drugs.
A lower court ruling struck down the state’s law, which prohibits data mining by marketers who sell doctor’s prescription records to pharmaceutical companies.
The drug makers use the information to tailor their sales pitches to individual doctors, among other things.
The Vermont law was challenged by data mining companies on the grounds that it violates free speech rights.
Maine and New Hampshire have similar laws that have been upheld by a lower court.