Can a doctor refuse to prescribe the morning after pill because of her religious views?

Question

When my baby was 10 days old the condom my partner was wearing didnt just split it disintergrated! A locum at my surgery refused to prescribe the morning after pill because she was catholic, she even went as far as saying it was unlikely I could get pregnant so soon even though the midwife had said be very careful as you are extremely fertile just after giving birth.......... was this doctor allowed to do that?

I did get another dr at the surgery to write up the prescription so that was good. I just didn't think it was right for her to refuse to prescribe any form of contraception based on her beliefs

Answer 1

It is wise when asking questions like this to note the location you are in. I suspect it is the UK since you use the term "locum." My answer contains information for the UK health system.

Under the guidelines of the BMA, your locum did have the right to refuse for reasons of religious views. Here is their statement on that regarding the "morning after pill" which the proper term would be "emergency contraceptive":

"Although, legally, the use of contraceptives designed to prevent implantation does not constitute an abortion, the BMA recognises that some doctors, believing that life begins at fertilisation, may have an ethical objection to their use. Doctors holding this view are not obliged to prescribe these forms of contraception but must refer the patient to another doctor who would be willing to comply with the request."

As to the "fertile after delivery," the doctor was correct, however, it is not guaranteed and apparently some women may become pregnant shortly after giving birth. On the average, a women ovulates in about 6 weeks after delivery, and if breastfeeding, four to 24 months after delivery.

Answer 2

Yep, I am afraid she can. You need to find someone who is not of Catholic religion. The doctor had taken an oath not to HURT anyone, she can practice her medicine any way she likes as long as it doesn't hurt the party she practices on. Just because you don't want to get pregnant (which I think she should have given you the pill, but hey, I'm not catholic) does not mean it is going to hurt you if you do. It is her opinion and she has the right to express it in any way she sees fit. Find another doctor and soon. Good luck and in the future, carry your own condoms. It will save you the worry you are dealing with now.

Answer 3

If you are at a catholic hospital, then it's possible. If she's just a catholic doctor at a regular hospital, then no, it's violating your rights to the pill. I'd seek out another doctor to get emergency contraceptive from and report the doctor. No one has the right to force their religious views on another, no matter how that is displayed. But again, if you were at a catholic hospital, often part of getting treatment there is having to abide by their beliefs while in their building.

Answer 4

Apparently they can refuse you the morning after pill, which is ridiculous as they should not be putting their beliefs onto you. The midwife was right to say you should be very careful as its very dangerous after having baby, chances of having another are high. But don't ever go to a chemist for one, they make you feel like a child even though you blatantly aren't and charge you bout £20.

Answer 5

If its just morals, you can ask and she can refuse both based on your choices. (She can't charge you) You then have the choice of getting the prescription from another person who has no qualms about this. But come on. You mean to tell me that you don't know the local name of the morning after pill? Hell, where I live once I called the local FPA and they told me the name of the drug and the pharmacist just handed it over without any prescription.

Also the story about being extremely fertile just after birth is **** and bull. From what I have read, breastfeeding actually reduces the likelyhood of pregnancy.

Answer 6

No, she has no right to deny you medical treatment and that is medical treatment. Your risk of miscarriage or damage to your body is very high when you get pregnant so soon after giving birth. If you get pregnant its time to gear up for a law suit! BTW if this happens again go to this website, they ask you a few questions and will call in the morning after pill to a local pharmacy for you http://emorningafterpill.com/ This way you can get it if that ever happens again. Who's your doc anyways, she should have told you to wait longer than 10 days before you had sex.

Answer 7

Yes, she can. In the states there are Catholic hospitals and they do not give the morning after pill, perform abortions, they follow the oath they took.

Just as some think this is unfair it is also unfair of people to expect others to give up their beliefs just to suit the patient.

Answer 8

She can't bring her own personal beliefs into her job like that, especially being a dr! What if you had of gotten pregnant?! She has committed an offence by refusing that...you could get legal help and make a claim. Maybe that is something to think about...

Answer 9

Depends on the state. There are actually huge fights going on about this in many states. Health care workers are increasingly finding their voice and refusing to give treatment when it would conflict with their conscience. Patients' rights advocates are also increasingly demanding that treatment be given, if legal, irrespective of the moral viewpoint of the provider. (See the newspaper article at the link below).

Personally, I think that if we asked all physicians to do what they considered morally repugnant, many physicians would simply quit, and the loss to communities currently served by those physicians would be disproportionate to any benefit gained.

Answer 10

"Moral Refusal" extends to healthcare in general
By dogemperor Tue May 02, 2006 at 07:57:34 AM EST
In this previous article on Talk2Action I have reported on "moral refusal" clauses in general, and how they are being used increasingly not only to deny birth control to women (even if birth control is prescribed for medical reasons unrelated to contraception such as polycystic ovary disease) but even potentially lifesaving medication like antivirals--simply because those antivirals can be used to treat certain forms of STDs.
"Moral refusal" is now expanding to not only include telling women they cannot be treated for herpesvirus infections (including, notably, chickenpox) or use birth control, but it's now expanding to allow doctors to refuse treatment to entire classes of people--in particular, gay and lesbian individuals--simply because of their sexual orientation.

In a landmark case now in litigation in California, two lesbians are suing a clinic that has used the "moral refusal" clause to refuse to provide insemination services--because the clinic's employees feel lesbians are "living in sin". If the clinic wins, this could have drastic--potentially deadly--consequences for pretty much all non-dominionists.