Thompson v. Western States Medical Center, 535 U.S. 357, 21 (2002)

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Cite as: 535 U. S. 357 (2002)

Thomas, J., concurring

with no interest in mass-producing medications, but who serve clienteles with special medical needs, from telling the doctors treating those clients about the alternative drugs available through compounding. For example, a pharmacist serving a children's hospital where many patients are unable to swallow pills would be prevented from telling the children's doctors about a new development in compounding that allowed a drug that was previously available only in pill form to be administered another way. Forbidding advertising of particular compounded drugs would also prohibit a pharmacist from posting a notice informing customers that if their children refuse to take medications because of the taste, the pharmacist could change the flavor, and giving examples of medications where flavoring is possible. The fact that the FDAMA would prohibit such seemingly useful speech even though doing so does not appear to directly further any asserted governmental objective confirms our belief that the prohibition is unconstitutional.

Accordingly, we affirm the Court of Appeals' judgment that the speech-related provisions of FDAMA § 127(a) are unconstitutional.

So ordered.

Justice Thomas, concurring.

I concur because I agree with the Court's application of the test set forth in Central Hudson Gas & Elec. Corp. v. Public Serv. Comm'n of N. Y., 447 U. S. 557 (1980). I continue, however, to adhere to my view that cases such as this should not be analyzed under the Central Hudson test. "I do not believe that such a test should be applied to a restriction of 'commercial' speech, at least when, as here, the asserted interest is one that is to be achieved through keeping would-be recipients of the speech in the dark." 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. Rhode Island, 517 U. S. 484, 523 (1996) (opinion concurring in part and concurring in judgment).

377

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