More unnecessary intrusions

So aside from doctor-patient privileges, personal privacy, and that ever pesky and easily ignored 4th amendment, I'm not sure what should stand in the way of establishing state databases for prescriptions...and then making them available to police or law enforcement

Here's the thing. Accidental ODs or general drug abuse is something that doctors receive training on how to deal with. I suppose it is sensible that they should receive more of it if they're not handling the prescription of pain medications responsibly or correctly.

The first major problem isn't that police could find these records useful at times during investigations, it's that they would have them available to do data mining whenever they want, which is rather more intrusive than having to go get a warrant or a subpoena to request information. Police should have to establish that they have a probable cause to get our private data, such as medical records.

The next major problem is the manner police have used such records isn't to run investigations for unscrupulous doctors or addicts. It's to legally hammer doctors who prescribe medications that they do not feel should be prescribed (opiate pain killers), or patients who are taking them. Pain management is already complicated enough without police determining how it should be done, instead of doctors.