HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

Doctors File Lawsuit Challenging State's Ban on Dispensing Medications to Their Patients

Views: 863
The last thing a sick patient wants to do after a doctor’s appointment is stand in line at a pharmacy for basic treatment like anti-nausea medication—and, in most of the country, they don’t have to.

https://ij.org/case/montana-doctor-dispensing/

Forty-four states and the District of Columbia allow patients to purchase medications directly from their prescribing doctor. This practice, known as “doctor dispensing,” is a safe and effective way to increase access to treatment, and is offered by a majority of doctors nationwide.

But not in Montana. In Big Sky Country, doctors are banned from dispensing unless they practice more than 10 miles from a pharmacy. Otherwise, doctors can dispense “occasionally,” “in an emergency,” free samples, or when a pharmacy does not have the prescribed medication. These narrow (and often vague) exceptions make it impossible for doctors to offer this beneficial service for all of their patients.

Montana’s ban does not sit well with Dr. Carol Bridges, Dr. Todd Bergland or Dr. Cara Harrop, who would like to dispense routine medications to their own patients. All three are family doctors who regularly prescribe medications for common issues like high cholesterol, stomach bugs and seasonal allergies. And all three feel their patients would benefit if they could offer direct access to the medications they prescribe, right when they prescribe them.

They have a point. Research shows that doctors and pharmacies are equally safe. Moreover, there is evidence that making routine medications more accessible on the front end has the potential to increase patients’ adherence to their prescribed course of care, which is good for patients, doctors and the broader health care system.

Despite these benefits, Dr. Bridges, Dr. Bergland and Dr. Harrop—who work in Missoula, Whitefish and Polson, respectively—are banned from dispensing and for no better reason than that they work within 10 miles of pharmacies. Montana’s ban has nothing to do with protecting patients and everything to do with protecting pharmacies from economic competition.

That is unconstitutional. The Montana Constitution forbids government from imposing unreasonable and protectionist restrictions on the right to pursue a chosen business and these protections are no less applicable to licensed doctors than anyone else. That is why Dr. Bridges, Dr. Bergland and Dr. Harrop have teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a lawsuit challenging Montana’s unconstitutional ban on doctor dispensing.
Donate to IJ: https://ij.org/support/give-now/
@IJvidsfollow
Thumbnail for Drone Operator Threatened with Jail for Helping Local Businesses Make Maps3:08
Drone Operator Threatened with Jail for Helping Local Businesses Make Maps
IJvids
883 views
Thumbnail for "No one can do what a mother can do and you should be proud of that"0:48
"No one can do what a mother can do and you should be proud of that"
AOU
986 views
Thumbnail for John Pig - Featuring WHY AM I TOXIC by Maximum Krull0:36
John Pig - Featuring WHY AM I TOXIC by Maximum Krull
memology101
1163 views
Thumbnail for Why Won’t the Supreme Court Hold Police Accountable?21:32
Why Won’t the Supreme Court Hold Police Accountable?
IJvids
931 views
Thumbnail for Budget Chef Presents: How to Balance the Budget W/O Raising Taxes!2:05
Budget Chef Presents: How to Balance the Budget W/O Raising Taxes!
ReasonVids
945 views
Thumbnail for Granny Theft Auto0:35
Granny Theft Auto
publicfreakouts
662 views
Thumbnail for No more brother wars.0:54
No more brother wars.
voatcatbox
491 views
Thumbnail for PowerSlave Exhumed Is The Best Game You've Never Played | GmanLives20:21
PowerSlave Exhumed Is The Best Game You've Never Played | GmanLives
invidious
276 views
Thumbnail for The World Is Doing Better Than Ever. Here's Why You Never Hear About It.5:10
The World Is Doing Better Than Ever. Here's Why You Never Hear About It.
ReasonVids
907 views
Thumbnail for The Air Force Veteran Fighting to Save Afghans From the Taliban14:00
The Air Force Veteran Fighting to Save Afghans From the Taliban
ReasonVids
909 views
Thumbnail for Men and Women: Reversal of Fortune | Live From The Lair20:40
Men and Women: Reversal of Fortune | Live From The Lair
Terrence Popp
1552 views
Thumbnail for 3D Wire Creator [Interactive]1:00
3D Wire Creator [Interactive]
Dismiss
1243 views
Thumbnail for Retrospective on PHIL MURPHY the New Jersey Governor8:20
Retrospective on PHIL MURPHY the New Jersey Governor
WarmPotato
1533 views
Thumbnail for Government Is Still the Biggest Threat to Free Speech5:11
Government Is Still the Biggest Threat to Free Speech
ReasonVids
832 views
Thumbnail for Build and Destroy0:00
Build and Destroy
SingularityJett
1623 views
Thumbnail for  FactChecker.org Funded by Organization that owns $2 Billion in J&J Stock1:43
FactChecker.org Funded by Organization that owns $2 Billion in J&J Stock
AOU
1589 views
Thumbnail for Remy: Best Song Ever! (One Direction Parody - Tax Code Edition)1:55
Remy: Best Song Ever! (One Direction Parody - Tax Code Edition)
ReasonVids
908 views
Thumbnail for Hexen: Beyond Heretic - An Updated Review | GmanLives18:43
Hexen: Beyond Heretic - An Updated Review | GmanLives
invidious
287 views
Thumbnail for Zelensky with a new batch of cocaine.0:25
Zelensky with a new batch of cocaine.
MasterSuppressionTechnique
1655 views
Thumbnail for Advertise Your Legal Product.  Get Thrown in Jail2:35
Advertise Your Legal Product. Get Thrown in Jail
IJvids
996 views
Thumbnail for How Detectives Caught the Golden State Killer—and Unleashed a Catastrophe for Civil Liberties35:03
How Detectives Caught the Golden State Killer—and Unleashed a Catastrophe for Civil Liberties
ReasonVids
908 views
Thumbnail for She went from singing about Voldemort to overthrowing real life Voldemorts like Trump and Lukashenko0:39
She went from singing about Voldemort to overthrowing real life Voldemorts like Trump and Lukashenko
bestofvoatxyz
702 views

points

Permalink
Reply
ij, institute for justice, freedom, liberty, individual rights, constitution, constitutional law, unconstitutional law, con law, constitutional litigation
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle