The violation — a misdemeanor count of wrongful disclosure of personally identifiable health information — occurred when the physician allowed sales representatives from pharmaceutical company Aegerion to access medical information of patients not diagnosed with a condition treated by one of the company’s drugs to identify potential new candidates for the treatment. The drug, Juxtapid, is used to treat patients with a type of hypercholesterolemia.
The physician, which The National Law Review did not name, had also faced up to one year in prison for the violation.
As part of its resolution, Aegerion agreed to enter into a deferred prosecution agreement for criminal violations of HIPAA.
The physician was prosecuted by Massachusetts’ Department of Justice.
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