Doctor’s case against Pa. drilling law revived
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling is reviving a challenge to a provision that requires doctors to sign a confidentiality agreement in return for access to proprietary information on chemicals used by the booming natural gas industry.
The high court’s Thursday decision reversed a lower court decision that had dismissed the challenge by Dr. Mehernosh Khan.
The lower court had said Khan couldn’t challenge the provision because he hadn’t requested the confidential information or found that the chemicals pose a health hazard to a patient.
But the Supreme Court’s 4-2 decision ruled that Khan’s claim is worthy and it ordered the lower Commonwealth Court to take it up.
Khan’s lawyers say the law forces him to choose between obeying the law versus his ethical obligation as a physician.