Case Law Index
federal2011
Additional Highlights:First AmendmentCommercial SpeechData Privacy
Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc.
United States Supreme Court
Key Holding
Vermont's law restricting the sale of pharmacy records containing prescriber-identifying information is an unconstitutional content-based restriction on speech.
Case Summary
Sorrell v. IMS Health held that Vermont's prohibition on selling or using physician prescription data for marketing purposes was a content- and speaker-based restriction on commercial speech that could not survive heightened scrutiny under the First Amendment.