The Georgia Bureau of Investigation claims that a Georgia woman violated a state law regarding the usage of a prescription database. The medical professional has since been arrested and is facing criminal charges related to the alleged violation. She is believed to be the first person charged for violating this specific law, and she has so far denied the allegations.
The law that the 62-year-old nurse practitioner is accused of violating was only recently passed. Critics of this newly enacted law claim that it is far from clear, pointing out that is language is exceptionally vague. Lawmakers apparently took the criticism to heart and are currently drafting possible updates in order to amend the law, but that did not stop authorities with the GBI from filing the recent charges.
Although her position as a nurse practitioner does give her access to the prescription drug database, she is accused of using it outside of the parameters required by her employment. Investigators claim that the nurse practitioner used a prescription drug database in order to look up prescription drug usage of two individuals. She then allegedly disclosed their prescription medication history to other people, although it is not clear how many people she is accused of telling.
Criminal charges pursued by the GBI are no small matter, and defendants in Georgia can quickly become overwhelmed when faced with the potential consequences. These fears can usually be addressed during defense preparations, when defendants and their respective counsels often choose to carefully review all charges and the related evidence. When done correctly, this process can help defendants decide whether to fight their charges to the fullest extent or to negotiate an agreeable plea deal with the prosecution in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Source: news4jax.com, “GBI: Nurse practitioner illegally searched prescriptions“, Stacey Readout, Aug. 1, 2016