Search is Powered by Google
Pharmacy / Pharmacist News

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

email icon email to a friend   printer icon printer friendly   write icon view / write opinions   rate icon rate article
Current Article Ratings:

Patient / Public:not yet rated

Health Professional:not yet rated

Article Opinions: 0 posts

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.

© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.




Customized Homepage Weekly Newsletters Daily News Alerts
Home About Us News Licensing Free Website Feeds Free Tools & Content Links Tell a Friend Accessibility Help / FAQ Article Submission Contact Us
Psychiatry Urology
Bipolar Diabetes Schizophrenia

add medical news today to your facebook

medical news gadget

Add to Google


developers
website gadget code
website news code
medical news rss feed links


MedReader RSS Reader

customize your homepage


These are the most read articles from this news category for the last 6 months:
Top Article Star
Heparin Overdose Suspected In Texas Hospital Baby Death, 16 Others Affected
09 Jul 2008
Reports are coming in that a hospital in Texas, USA, is investigating how up to 17 babies in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) received an overdose of the blood thinner heparin; one of the babies is dead although the...


Involving Your Kids in Their Nutrition
Involving Your Kids in Their Nutrition

Nutrition experts recommend getting your kids involved in their nutrition decisions, and making sure they understand why good nutrition is important.

more videos are available in our health videos section.