Pharmacies Should Be Allowed To Refuse Contraception Prescriptions If Policy Clearly Posted, Opinion Piece Says

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 20 Jun 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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Pharmacies should not be forced to provide birth control "if they don't want to," but laws should require pharmacies to post their policies clearly so as not to "wast[e] women's time," William Saletan, a science and technology reporter for Slate magazine, writes in an opinion piece responding to a recent Washington Post article (Saletan, Slate, 6/17).

According to the Post story, a "small but growing number" of so-called "pro-life pharmacies" are not stocking emergency contraceptives, oral contraceptives or condoms. Supporters of pro-life pharmacies and some bioethicists say that they are "consistent with national values that accommodate a spectrum of beliefs," while critics say they violate the pharmacist's duty to put patients' needs first. Pharmacists at eight pro-life pharmacies contacted by the Post said they would not "actively interfere" with women trying to fill prescriptions elsewhere, but none of them said they post signs about their restrictions or offer to help women get prescriptions filled elsewhere (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 6/16).

According to Saletan, "One of this country's greatest achievements is its separation of legality from morality, so that individuals can hold themselves to a higher standard ... without forcing it on everyone else." He adds "This is the principle many pro-lifers have rejected as they press for abortion bans to 'teach' the immorality of killing fetuses." Saletan concludes, "So please, don't tell moralists they have to do or sell whatever's legal" because "[i]f you do, you won't like what happens to the law" (Slate, 6/17).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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