gnomic says:

As much as I find this practice abhorrent, I have to support it because its the least restrictive option. Let the free market decide. Of course, the first time they refuse to fill a prescrition for me, I take my business elsewhere. So far, that hasent happened. I also think that organizations should post a list of the companies that practice medical censorship and each group can choose who they want to do business with.

I’ve actually walked into places, filled my cart, rolled it right up to the manager and said “This is what I’d be buying from you right now - but I’m not going to because of , then walked out and sent a letter to thier corporate HQ with a letter explaining that I won’t do business with them until they change a policy or practice - putting my specific $ loss and pointing them to the internet posts where I publish my discontent.

It this effective? So far, no one has changed thier opinion that I know of. But if more people did it, it might be more effective.

Andrew says:

Although it’s not exactly a free market because the dispensing of medication is regulated by the government. Therefore, I would argue, a pharmacy that is licensed by the government should not then decide which medications the individual pharmacists feel like dispensing.

Miranda says:

This story gives me the chills.

Leland says:

Talk about a gray area. On the one hand I think that every form of birth control should be readily available to anyone of reproductive age. But the other hand tells me that I wouldn’t want to be forced to give a drug I knew in my heart was going to injure or kill someone.

In a perfect world, I would make sure the prescriptions were filled by someone in the store. But if we force that on the chemists, then what’s to keep more laws from forcing doctors to perform abortions?

Now then, before everyone jumps on me for being a wild-eyed, right-wing, pro-life, bible thumping radical, I’m not. I am firmly pro-choice. But not to the point where I would pass a law that forces a doctor to violate his or her personal moral code.

But dispensing a pill is a lot different then actually having your hands in the soup while performing a DNC.

Evil BassTurd says:

It is a free market insofar as you can choose who you want to do business with. Any pharmacist that refuses to serve someone is quite likely to quickly drive customer away. So how prevelent is this problem of pharmacists refusing to dispense?

Also, I do not think (although I could be wrong) that pharmacies are licensed (other than your standard business license); It is the pharmacist that holds the license.

Leland says:

Evil Bass Turd wrote, “Also, I do not think (although I could be wrong) that pharmacies are licensed (other than your standard business license); It is the pharmacist that holds the license.”

Not here. The store has both state and federal licenses to receive and store most of their behind the counter inventory.

WILLOBIE says:

Fill “scrip”, not scripts.

RBS says:

Not so fast, I’m a CPhT for Walgreen’s, and yes a pharmacist can refuse to fill a script based on a moral objection; but they must also attempt to find another pharmacist (within or outside of Walgreen’s) to fill the RX. As has been stated, it’s a free market system so if you don’t like it go somewhere else. By the way, the biggest objection is not for BC pills as it is with Plan B. Plan B is controvesial. I personaly would like to have this medication availanle for it’s intended use, but I will not sell it either. Why? Imagine getting an RX for Plan B with 6 refills and another for the patient for BC with only 2 refills. Plan B is for emergencies! Not routine BC (6 refills). What’s the down side to giving someone Plan B with refills? What are the long term effects of Plan B? You don’t know? Neither does the manufacturer, cause there have not been any studies yet, the drug hasn’t been available long enough to know what the long term effects are! This also disregards the additional counseling a woman will recieve by having to get a prescription each time. If a woman is being raped or abused so much that they need 6 refills they need to be taken out of the abusive situation and something done. A pharmacist that stands on their individual principle should not be vilified, and the public should be mor eeducated!

Donelle says:

I am almost 40 and do not look like an 18 year old. I understand you need an i.d. to purchase plan B.

Today I went to the Walgreens at 63rd and Austin in the city of Chicago. The woman working at the drive through told me I would need an i.d and would have to come in to purchase it. I am not sure why because it is something you have to ask them for anyway. The plan B is behind the pharmacy counter.
When I went in and purchased it the pharmacist was not sure why I had to come in either except for needing to see the i.d. which could be given through the drive thru window.
When the woman turned around who told me to come in and did not wait on me at drive thru, the on her lapel was a cross with a pro life rose on it. Listen, I am a Christian myself but am not an extremist. You never know why someone cannot have more kids. It just sent me a bad message.
When I complained to the manager she tried to say she was not sure why and maybe my face needed to be on camera due to the 18 year old i.d. issue. I told her there are 2 cameras at the drive through that can clearly get a picture of the person’s face. She did not know what to say.
Again I am all for religion. I am a Christian, however to push your politics on someone else stinks. Clearly there was not a good reason for woman working the drive through not to help me.
I had 2 forms of i.d, she was older(not under 18)
It was behind the pharmacy counter.

Thanks for listening,
Donelle