Pharmacist Refusing To Fill Birth Contro l Scripts

“I usually never watch Lou Dobbs on CNN but I did last night. Sure beat the NBA game that was on.
Anyway they were talking about a growing number of pharmacist refusing to fill birth control pills because of religious beliefs.

here is part of the transcript from the show:
DOBBS: Tonight, in this country, what is becoming a clash of conscience at pharmacy counters throughout the country. Some pharmacists are refusing to fill doctors' prescriptions for birth control and other contraceptives. Women contend those pharmacists are violating their medical rights. The arrival of Plan B, the morning- after pill, has only heightened the controversy.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michelle Havich was shocked when a pharmacist at her local Walgreen's refused to fill her prescription for birth control pills.

MICHELLE HAVICH, PHARMACIST REFUSED TO FILL PRESCRIPTION: A million things were running through my head, like why would she, why is she refusing me my pills? And, you know, she said it was nothing against me personally, but obviously it was. She wasn't going to wait on me because of what my prescription was.

ROMANS: She was sent to another Walgreen's, and an hour later her birth control prescription was filled.

HAVICH: I think they should be required to give out your prescription. It's a legal medication, and it is medication.

ROMANS: Walgreen's says it must balance the needs of its patients with the beliefs of its employees. And the American Pharmacist Association has long held pharmacists do not need to fill prescriptions that violate their moral or religious beliefs. Pro-life pharmacists say there's a movement now to deny them their right of conscience.

STEVEN ADEN, CENTER FOR LAW & RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: As health care professionals, they have a right to decide what medications, what therapies they'll participate in, and which violate their conscience. So that ought to be respected across the country. Unfortunately it hasn't been.

ROMANS: What some consider a lack of religious respect, others argue is an emboldened religious right.

ADAM SONFELD, ALAN GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE: You have people saying that, you know, their beliefs should trump those of their clients, and of their employers, and of the doctors who are prescribing these medications. And trumping their responsibilities as health care providers.

ROMANS: Pharmacists have been quietly refusing to fill birth control prescriptions for years, but the availability of the morning- after pill has heightened the debate. That pill, known as Plan B, prevents a fertilized egg from implanting. Some pharmacists equate it with abortion and have refused to serve patients with those prescriptions.

ROMANS: And in some cases, they won't refer these patients to another pharmacist. That's why the doctors who are prescribing some of these contraceptives are not happy.

Yesterday, the American Medical Association said it objects to pharmacists refusing to dispense prescriptions. And in Washington, a bill is being considered that would require pharmacists to fill all prescriptions.

DOBBS: This clash of conscience we're going to be exploring further. Christine Romans, thank you.

I'll be talking with an Illinois pharmacist who morally objects to selling the morning-after pill, and he recently filed suit against the state of Illinois after the governor issued an emergency order requiring pharmacies that sell contraceptives to make the morning- after pill available to all patients and customers. He says the state has no right, however, to override his moral convictions. We'll be talking with him about this clash of conscience.

And that brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. Do you support legislation that would require pharmacists, irrespective of their moral and religious beliefs, to fill all prescriptions, yes or no?


any thoughts on this. IMO I think they should have to fill the prescriptions. Maybe they should have thought about that before they became a pharmacist.

Of course for everyone that refuses another one is waiting to fill it.”

“I think pharmacists who believe in the sanctity of life should refuse to sell a number of antibiotics, as well. Bacteria are people too.
last edited: 6/22/05 11:38:56 AM”

“that's dumb, it's not like birth control is a new invention. taking a job as a pharmacist when you don't believe in doing your job would be like a vegetarian taking a job at a "rendering plant" and then refusing to "render." that's also dumb of their managers to let them refuse the money they'd make off filling all those prescriptions...there's always going to be someone down the road who'll fill it.”

“In general, I think it's good for pharmacists to be able to refuse perscriptions at their discression. Often pharmaciscsts know much more about drug interactions than doctors. If by chance a doctor prescribes a drug to a patient that could have an adverse reaction to another drug that a patient is also taking, which the doctor may or may not be aware of, it's the pharmacist who in in the unique place to notice this.

So that's why it's not wise to have a law that says that pharmaciscs MUST fill every prescription.

As for the pill, I understand why the pharmacists may want to refuse it. Outside of religious reasons, it could be considered questionable medical ethics to prescribe a medication which has no medicinal value, which has the specific purpose of actually hampering the body's natural healthy functioning. People don't remember now, but there once was a very lively debate regarding this issue, which really was not resolved.

Also, many people are becoming more holistic in their approach to reducing their toxin and chemical intake. This is something some of the environmentalists here at TT should be aware of I would think. People are starting to think twice about going out of their way to get organic milk and food, then turning around and taking massive daily doses of an artifical chemical hormone with loads of nasty side effects.

People may have to go somewhere else and get their prescription. Tough issue. No simple answers (which makes it not very well suited for an internet forum like this.....)
last edited: 6/22/05 12:02:00 PM”

““that's dumb, it's not like birth control is a new invention. taking a job as a pharmacist when you don't believe in doing your job would be like a vegetarian taking a job at a "rendering plant" and then refusing to "render."

It's also just like complaining that just because your doctor is an MD he won't do abortions. Go somewhere else if ya can't get it from one certain place. they don't seem to mind compromising the business.”

“In that same light, I'd like to see a cashier refuse to sell hand lotion to a teenage boy because of religious beliefs.

It's bull#&%!$, and if they don't believe in their job, go find another job.”

“The lawyers i work for defend insurance companies in environmental cases sometimes. Perhaps I shouldn't file court papers (at my own discretion) due to my moral indignation at the people we defend...


ridiculous? of course. It's a job. You are not there to inject your personal opinions. It's business. Fill the damn prescription and get off your high horse!”

“Suppose the pharmacist was a Buddhist and refused to sell antibiotics because they would kill germs.”

“Tht's the point, mtn Steve. Can you imagine if this became the norm? This is BS, alright...”

“i just think of pharmacists as little robots who do whatever the doctor's prescription tells them. maybe since people think of them like that, that's why they're always in such a good mood. LOL!!”

“If they want to decide what they should and shouldn't proscribe then they should become a doctor. As it is if they don't like doing their job then they should find another.”

“They're always in such a good mood because they're eating that oxycontin like candy!”

“That's right guys!

People should be forced to do things!

Goooooo socialism!!!”

“i was being sarcastic, they ususally seem like big ol' sourpusses to me, haha.”

“So, if I don't want to file those pleadings, I should be given that right, Sarge?”

“Yes sarge, in some instances if it involves doing my job and not just the bits of my job that i like. And this has nothing to so with socialism.”

“Sarge is skirting the issue...”

“How so Treebeard. It is exactly the issue.

The issue is that somebody doesn't want to do something that is against their religion or beliefs.

Of course, if it was up to you libbies, you'd have the government force them to do it or else they have to live on the streets begging for coffee. typical

[edit]
Correction - "begging for welfare".
last edited: 6/22/05 12:21:11 PM”

“So what about soldiers who object to going to Iraq as it's against their beliefs Sarge? Should they just be allowed to walk away?”

“Yes sarge, in some instances if it involves doing my job and not just the bits of my job that i like. And this has nothing to so with socialism.

Does your job involve killing people you don't want to kill?”

“Paperwork is now against my religion!”

“Answer the question directly for a change!

There's a case where this company buried some nasty waste in improper containers, hid some of them, did not file permits, etc etc. I can't talk too much more about it. But, we wound up defending a party on the offending side. i was disgusted at what I read of this. Now, should I have exercised my right to subject my firm to fines for not filing in a timely manner, and possibly contempt of court? If I did, should I be able to keep my job?

If you answer yes, I want to work for you!”

“My Boss just told me I have to do the [paperwork or she'll fire me. Socialist #&%!$!”

“y2 - A soldier signs up to kill people, and takes an oath to do so.

A pharmacists signs up to save people.”

“Since when is birth control killing people?”

“Sarge, I asked you a direct question Would you answer it?”

“(Jeopardy music)”

“What you guys aren't getting is that the pharmacy companies are letting these guys not fill the scripts. (like Walgreen's above)

That's not the same as your boss telling you to do something.

If you guys had your way, the pharmacy company and the pharmacist would have to do somthing they don't want to.

socialist sick-os”

“I don't want to come to work.”

“why did I know sarge would be against this when I posted it.”

“We're sickos? You're trying to tell me a sperm is a baby, more or less. Have a great lunch. I'm going out

Holy sh_tballs, Batman!

I'm a sicko...



whooohoo hahahahahahahaha

Youseh mama!!!
last edited: 6/22/05 12:29:40 PM”

“Treebeard - I was typing. You want me to answer the "Since when is birth control killing people?" question.

You know the answer to that. You want to turn this into a debate about abortions, but it's a debate about people's rights.

Did you want to debate the science of the fetus?”

“Treebeard - You are the one skirting the issue now.

This is about individual rights.

LOL

typical”

“I asked you about my TRUE situation. You didn't answer...”

““Answer the question directly for a change!

There's a case where this company buried some nasty waste in improper containers, hid some of them, did not file permits, etc etc. I can't talk too much more about it. But, we wound up defending a party on the offending side. i was disgusted at what I read of this. Now, should I have exercised my right to subject my firm to fines for not filing in a timely manner, and possibly contempt of court? If I did, should I be able to keep my job?

If you answer yes, I want to work for you!”
Treebeard
1:23:50 PM”

“Birth control is murder.

hehehehehehe!

This is better than the hunk-o-flesh schiavo debates!”

“Which Treebeard? From 1:23:50 PM?

You didn't provide very much information if that's what you're talking about.

You never answered the question pertinant to this discussion. Why do you want to tell people how to live?”

“And don't tell me that Walgreen's management is to blame. There have beeen several cases where the pharmacists are acting on their own volition...”

“Well guys ... about 1/2 of America side with me, so whether or not you believe it's murder or not ... you guys are skirting the issue that lots of people don't want to be forced to do that.”

“I printed it twice. Answer please...”

“Who blamed Walgreens?”

“Birth control pills are not equivalent to abortion. two different issues. I answered yours. Give me the same courtesy”

“treebeard - I already answered that.

See post from 1:27:47 PM”

““What you guys aren't getting is that the pharmacy companies are letting these guys not fill the scripts. (like Walgreen's above)


Pharmacy companies, like Walgreen's. I stand corrected and still ask you to be my employer...”

““Birth control pills are not equivalent to abortion. two different issues. I answered yours. Give me the same courtesy”

Not everybody agrees with that statement.”

“Forget it. i didn't think you could. I'm going out. Later dudes...”

“Sarge - amazing hypocracy. No - a soldier often signs on to defend his country. What about a national gaurdsman? I'm sure they didn't sign up to carry out an agressive foreign policy.

And a pharmacist doesn't take a career to save lives, he/she signs up to dispense drugs. Indirectly saving people.
You cherry-pick where to apply your so-called principles. The hypocracy is breathtaking.

In pharmacists don't wish to dispense certain drugs then they need to work to get the law changed.”

“Pharmacy companies, like Walgreen's. I stand corrected and still ask you to be my employer...

I still think you aren't getting it. Walgreen's happens to side with the pharmacist in this case. On some other issue, they might disagree, like what his hours should be or how he should dress or whatever. The point is, the pharmacy should be allowed to make the determination of the rules for their employees. If the company and the worker are in agreement, great! We got a winner. If not, the company can fire the worker. That's their right. And the worker can work elsewhere.

But when you whack-jobs want the government to tell the company and/or the employer that they have to do something (which isn't the same as not doing something) that that's socialist crap.”

“y2 - You're simply wrong. They sign up and promise to follow orders.

A pharmacist doesn't "sign-up" like you're implying. He's doing a job, like a donut shop worker. He can make the donuts how he sees fit, as long as he isn't harming somebody. The customer can go elsewhere if they don't like the donuts, or they don't serve those donuts there.

Your last sentence proves this is about government control.

socialism

typical”

“Treebeard - Didn't think I could what? I answered your question. What's your problem.

Taking your ball and going home because you aren't getting your way?

LOL - typical”