OT Birth Control

[tomgrrrl]

They get a license, it's their job to fill prescriptions, no "ifs, ands or buts!" If they don't like filling certain prescriptions, they need to look for work elsewhere.....imho.

[DDH]

I remember this issue coming up about a year or more ago. Some pharmacist decided it was against his morals to fill the morning after pill because he felt he was helping with aborting a fetus. So that was the only thing I was ever aware of that they were having issues with. I guess they have taken it a step further now. Wonder what will be next?

[Pyannyplayer]

I'm Catholic and am on birth control....for the next year....without taking the placebos (can we say that I'm pretty excited that I won't have a period for the next year!!). I'm taking them because the uterine wall is enlarged (I had a biopsy - no cancer, but my cells are "disorganized"). This is to help shrink the uterine wall and hopefully avoid further treatment. Why should a pharmacist decide if I should have my prescription? He may or may not know why I'm taking it. Golly.

I feel that I shouldn't be forcing my beliefs on anyone else nor should anyone force theirs on me. We're all old enough to decide for ourselves and we have to live with those decisions.

Just my two cents worth.

Lorie

[doc]

I think my girlfriend who is a pharmacist put it well when she said, "So I think obese people are committing the sin of gluttony and their high blood pressure is a punishment from God. Now I can refuse to fill their prescriptions for beta blockers!"

Well put!!

I get absolutely NUTSO when I hear crud like this. People pushing their personal moral agenda on complete strangers. If you won't dispense pills you should get FIRED. That's your job. If you want to pass judgment on others, and force your will onto them as well, then you need higher powers.

PS Planned parenthood is a wonderful organization (regardless of one's opinion on abortion). Yes tehy provide abortion, but their goal is prevention. They help out zillions of women who don't have the wherewithall to take care of their gyn health and take control of their lives/futures by having only PLANNED PARENTHOOD. No "whoops".

[SalsaMTB]

Seems like it would be pretty tough for a pharmacist who refuses to fill certain perscriptions to get a job. Not sure if denying them the position because of it would be illegal due to moral beliefs/descrimination, but they are also unable to meet the requirements of their job. If I owned a pharmacy, I wouldn't hire someone who refused to fill a perscription that I we be getting money from every single month!

Guess it's a good thing I don't own a pharmacy!

[Bikingmomof3]

They get a license, it's their job to fill prescriptions, no "ifs, ands or buts!" If they don't like filling certain prescriptions, they need to look for work elsewhere.....imho.

I feel the same way.

[mimitabby]

yeah, what's next; "I don't believe in ritalin, sorry; i won't give you your kid's prescription" ??!?!?

In the state of washington there has been a huge hullabaloo about this. and there IS no embryo "the morning after".
The good news is; this pill might become an over the counter item to circumvent this problem.

[eclectic]

A lot of pharmacies around here are running at a pretty marginal profit AND we are only 50 miles from Canada. I think it would be suicide for them to refuse on moral grounds.
If a pharmacy refused to fill anything I would take my business elsewhere which is very easy to do, they would be losing a lot as I am on some very expensive asthma meds.

But if they want to go broke on moral grounds so be it.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Right on to all that - about pharmacist's duty being to fill your prescription, NOT to make some sort of moronic moral judgement about whether you should or shouldn't take a given medication.

I've been involved with planned parenthood in the past and think it is a terrific organization. Giving access to resources for the community and especially for low-cost birth control/contraceptives as well as GYN services.

[chickwhorips]

wow this is the first i'm hearing about this. amazing. i can't belive a public pharmacy can refuse to fill a Rx. not only that but not give back the Rx to take it to another pharmacy.

i actually just went in yesterday to talk about my BC. ironic. no problems with my healthcare provider or the place i send my Rx to. i'm glad too. not only do i not want to have kids right now (the 4 legged ones are just fine with me) but i also don't want to have my period every other week.

[Deanna]

wow this is the first i'm hearing about this. amazing. i can't belive a public pharmacy can refuse to fill a Rx. not only that but not give back the Rx to take it to another pharmacy.

I think it's being allowed because we really don't have "public" pharmacies in the United States. They're all privately owned--so they can make their own rules. I repeat myself here, but vote/show support with your wallets!! If the pharmacy I used decided to stop selling birth control (even though I get mine in the doctors office) I would not spend one cent in that store again. And do you really want to use a pharmacist ignorant enough to not be aware of the other benefits of birth control pills?

[mimitabby]

And do you really want to use a pharmacist ignorant enough to not be aware of the other benefits of birth control pills?

Is it about ignorance (i don't think they're ignorant of what you can do with the pills) or more like, NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
Can you imagine being in that position, in a line at the drugstore having to explain to some idiot that no, it's not for that, it's for this!
But it HAS happened to some woman...

[Lenusik]

"...allowing pharmacists to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions based on their personal, moral or religious objections"

So, moral objectives? Hmm, very interesting. And who has a right to decide who's got good or bad moral objectives or whose religion is better than someone else's. Or if a drug adict decides that she needs a pill, and because of her "morals" she is not given one. Is she supposed to have a baby in her condition? What a stupid bill. Just stupid!

[7rider]

My fantasy conversation with this pharmacist:
"So.....Pharmacist....
You don't want to fill my prescription because you are morally opposed to birth control?
Geez, that's great. To each his own. You are very welcome to hold that view.
I, however, am not morally opposed to birth control.
So how about this?
You give me what my doctor has legally prescribed to me, and YOU don't have to take the pill????
What is the problem here???"

[Lise]

If a pharmacists do not want to dispense medications, they should not accept the paycheck from the employer who hired them to dispense medications. Problem solved.