Hippa applies to your health care provider, not your pharmacist. Your doctor can’t release your medical records to a cop, but your pharmacist could absolutely could tell them what prescriptions you have, especially with an outside pharmacist. That’s a third party not covered by hippa
Wtf this is not correct at all. Pharmacists are part of your healthcare team and are absolutely just as bound by HIPAA as your doctor. If a cop asks for records we direct them to corporate so that lawyers can figure that out. Same if a lawyer subpoenas for records.
Though you are correct if another pharmacist or a physician called to ask what a patient was taking we would not be bound by HIPAA because that request should be required info to treat the patient. Eg, you are in the hospital and they have to call the pharmacy to see what you are taking because you either aren’t sure or are unconscious.
I can’t read the article due to paywall but from the headline, yes it violates HIPAA. Not sure if there is some trickery going on such as pretending to ask as another healthcare provider rather than as a cop. Pharmacies would then give the info thinking the other provider needed it for the care of the patient.