2008 Woodie Awards
TABOO
Morals Versus Job Duties
Eryn O'Neal
Issue date: 4/27/05 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 1
An inappropriate and just plain stupid trend is sweeping across pharmacies around the nation.
Some pharmacist are refusing to fill contraceptive prescriptions based on moral grounds.
The American Pharmacists Association allows pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions if their morals conflict, but they must make arrangements so the patient can have their prescriptions filled elsewhere.
However, some pharmacists are refusing to return the prescription to the patient or hand the prescription to another druggist to fill.
What's worse is the fact that some states are enacting laws that would actually allow pharmacists to make these decisions, Mississippi for example.
Pharmacists should only exercise this right if they suspect a patient is abusing prescription drugs that could be dangerous to their health.
Some states already have laws that let the pharmacists decide if you are going to receive your legal drugs prescribed by your physician at your regular pharmacy.
Arkansas and South Dakota have laws that protect the rights of pharmacists and their right to refuse to dispense medicines.
Some pharmacists are making these decisions based on religious views and think that the emergency contraceptive is just a sugar coated abortion pill. Even if it were, it is not their place to decide what we women do with our lives.
According to USA Today, ten other states have considered similar bills.
It is not the pharmacist's job to make decisions based on conscience, it's their job to provide women with the medications their physicians prescribe for them.
They serve only as the middle-man.
Pharmacists please check your moral baggage at the door and just focus on doing your job.
Some pharmacist are refusing to fill contraceptive prescriptions based on moral grounds.
The American Pharmacists Association allows pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions if their morals conflict, but they must make arrangements so the patient can have their prescriptions filled elsewhere.
However, some pharmacists are refusing to return the prescription to the patient or hand the prescription to another druggist to fill.
What's worse is the fact that some states are enacting laws that would actually allow pharmacists to make these decisions, Mississippi for example.
Pharmacists should only exercise this right if they suspect a patient is abusing prescription drugs that could be dangerous to their health.
Some states already have laws that let the pharmacists decide if you are going to receive your legal drugs prescribed by your physician at your regular pharmacy.
Arkansas and South Dakota have laws that protect the rights of pharmacists and their right to refuse to dispense medicines.
Some pharmacists are making these decisions based on religious views and think that the emergency contraceptive is just a sugar coated abortion pill. Even if it were, it is not their place to decide what we women do with our lives.
According to USA Today, ten other states have considered similar bills.
It is not the pharmacist's job to make decisions based on conscience, it's their job to provide women with the medications their physicians prescribe for them.
They serve only as the middle-man.
Pharmacists please check your moral baggage at the door and just focus on doing your job.