Timothy Barr v. Rebecca Pearson

Summary

Inmate Timothy Barr sued prison health care providers under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference for stopping his multiple sclerosis medication (Avonex) due to reported side effects. The Eighth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for defendants, holding that the decision to halt medication was within the providers' independent medical judgment and did not rise to criminal recklessness, especially where Barr did not allege resulting harm. The court reiterated that prisoners have no right to a particular course of treatment and that mere disagreement with medical judgment does not state a constitutional claim.

Holdings

1. The defendants' decision to stop administering Avonex did not rise to the level of deliberate indifference because it was a matter of independent medical judgment, Barr did not allege any resulting harm, and the defendants continued to provide medical care.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the defendants' discontinuation of Barr's multiple sclerosis medication constituted deliberate indifference to a serious medical need in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

Disposition

affirmed