Why become a pharmacist, if you don't want to dispense drugs?

Question

Pharmacists have sued Washington state over a new regulation that requires them to sell emergency contraception, also known as the "morning-after pill."

Under the new state rule, pharmacists with personal objections to a drug can opt out by getting a co-worker to fill an order. But that applies only if the patient is able to get the prescription in the same pharmacy visit.

Sold as Plan B, emergency contraception is a high dose of the drug found in many regular birth-control pills. It can lower the risk of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The federal Food and Drug Administration made the morning-after pill available without prescription to adults last year.

Why become a pharmacist, if you don't want to dispense drugs? Many pharmacists also refuse to dispense prescription birth control pills and over the counter forms of birth control.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008036175
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A5490-2005Mar27?language=printer

Ok, so using your logic that anyone should be able to follow their conscience:

So if I'm a religious pharmacist like many of these people say, and they don't want to encourage promiscuous sex, I could then refuse to sell to unmarried men (in addition to unmarried women) any form of birth control, including condoms (this is happening to women right now); I could refuse to sell to any single man any form of erectile dysfunction drugs, pumps, creams or lotions; I could refuse to sell to any unmarried man or woman anything that could be used to contribute to a sexual act taking place.

Also, if I'm a Christian Scientist who is a pharmacist, paramedic, or a doctor, then I could refuse to sell insulin, inhalers and oxygen, since these all items artificially prolong life, which is against my religious beliefs.

Actually I've quit a few high-paying jobs because I didn't like what was going on. I've refused to do things I thought was unethical quite a few times. Can you say the same? Money talks for most people....

Answer 1

All I know is that these same so-called "moral pharmacists" usually have no problem filling out prescriptions for Viagra!! No problem helping men have sex, but god forbid a woman wants to have sex without creating a child. What these people don't understand is that by refusing sell Plan B, you're not saving any "lives", you're only creating more abortions. Of course, common sense is not usually apparent to moral crusaders.

Answer 2

The idea is to reduce barriers to access for this time-sensitive birth control option, not to make more!

Simple. During the interview process, they are explicitly asked about this and other 'sensitive' compounds; this should weed the cranks out straightaway. When a given pharmacist is offered a job, In their employment contract, they sign on the dotted line that YES they will dispense.

Anyone who doesn't wish to dispense - isn't hired. This is absolute bullshit and totally unacceptable behavior.

"Then, on October 26, 2000, with almost no warning, the
BC premier, Ujjal Dosanjh, announced the regulatory
amendment had been passed by the Lieutenant Governor
through an Order in Council. Commencing December 1,
2000, trained, certified pharmacists had independent pre-
scriptive authority to provide ECs to women without a pre-
scription from a physician. On April 2, 2001, the regulatory
change was granted statutory authority by the provincial
legislature.

The reasons for the premier’s sudden legislative action
were likely multidimensional and political, as an election
was imminent. During his speech on October 26, 2000, the
premier stated:

“There is no reason any woman in British Columbia should face an unwanted pregnancy when there is a medically safe and effective alternative. We are acting
now to prevent the personal and social costs of unwanted
pregnancies.” He went on to say, “Too many women for
too long have been denied the use of emergency contra-
ception pills because they couldn’t get them when they
needed them.”

Answer 3

The problem in my view is that the state is once again imposing arbitrary rules on independent business. If a pharmacist works for a chain (corporate) pharmacy, they have little choice, unless they just want to keep the stuff out of sight and tell patients they're out of stock. But if the pharmacist is an independent business owner, and the state wants to require pharmacies to carry a product that the owner has personal objections to, that's another matter. There are 6000 different drug products on the market, and no pharmacy can keep all of them in stock. In most areas of the country there are more pharmacies than you can shake a stick at, and they keep building them. Patients can just pick up the phone and call to find one that carries it. In cases of rape or incest, it should certainly be made available. I think the idea of denying birth control to someone is incredibly old-fashioned, personally. Besides, dispensing birth control to nitwits keeps the Medicaid, WIC and DFACS roles down. Patient pays 45 bucks to the pharmacy, no innocent baby born to a drunk, stoned, or dimwitted mom, no $100k burden on the already scarce hard-working American taxpayer. Win-win-win situation I say.

Answer 4

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I never understood that either. Why go into a job knowing that your personal beliefs will interfere with that job? If a person takes a job knowing that they will eventually be faced with going against their beliefs, they have no right or excuse to make their job their soapbox. They are their to dispense meds, and the only time, IMNSHO, that they have the right to deny filling a prescription is when they know that the meds will react badly to other meds the person is taking.

RU-486 is the chemical abortion pill, not Plan B. Plan B prevents a pregnancy, it doesn't end an established pregnancy.

Answer 5

i think it could be the matter of pro-choice. he may feel if the person has conceived, then the pill would be a form of abortion--for lack of better words. people are all allowed their beliefs. just as we can choose what pharmarcy to fill our prescriptions. (it may be a guilt thing with this particular pharmacist) Not all people are going to agree, we need to respect each others beliefs. i dont think it is why become a pharmacist, i think it is his own personal choice and good for him for standing his ground, do you stand your ground on your own personal choices? (if you do, then you can respect his personal decision and the fact he has the right to choose is a good thing in this world we live in now a days)

Answer 6

I agree, most pharmacists seemed to have no problem prescribing Avandia- which has killed thousands of people and not to mention countless other drugs that have damaged and killed others. Why take a stand on abortion when they are passing out pressed cocaine pills and herion laced cough syrups and other dangerous items for the sake of health($$$) care?

Answer 7

If assisted suicide was made legal, would you give the drug to someone? I should hope not.

This is the same with the pharmacists. Many became pharmacists long before the morning after pill came along.

If people really have a problem with it they need to find another pharmacy, obviously the pharmacists feels their beliefs and integrity are worth more than a few bucks.

Answer 8

Just because someone becomes a Pharmacist doesn't mean they have to abandon their morals. I agree with the stand they are taking. Especially on the "morning after pill".

Answer 9

On behalf of the other 99.9% of pharmacists out there, let me say this.

We don't care if you're taking Plan B or not. Prove your 18 or older, then pay for it. Arrivederci! We don't care.

Answer 10

There are plenty of drugs pharmacists dispense besides birth control and plan B.

Some pharmacists have legitimate ethical objections to dispensing these drugs (for the record my personal opinion is these objections are stupid, but people have a right to their beliefs, even silly ones). The law is reasonable as it is IMO, but I can see how they would have an objection.