Pharmacists refusing to fill birth control prescriptions for women as a matter of conscience has been bothering me. I will be the first to say that I have benefitted greatly when pharmacists have stepped in, like to call the doctor if there is any question about the drug or dosage or interactions with other medications.
For example, a physician who was filling in for my regular doctor insisted I stay on a high dose of iron supplements while taking an antibiotic, despite my objections. How was he supposed to help me if I didn’t follow his instructions precisely? Later that night when I had severe stomach cramps and was puking uncontrollably, he called to admit it was a mistake. I was about ready to dial 911. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him personally, but his instructions conflicted with what I knew as a scientist and what the pharmacists had been telling me for years.
Back to matters of conscience. Some of the pharmacists I saw interviewed said it was no problem, a mother of several young children who had experienced a condom failure could just go to another pharmacy. This was a male who apparently had never run an errand with a toddler or two along!
What if morality were applied to dispensing other drugs? Adultery is considered to be bad by most right-thinking people. When a male client comes with a prescription for erectile dysfunction medication, is he questioned about whether it is for sexual relations in marriage? Is the proposed sex act(s) for purposes of procreation?
If any gents have actually experienced this, please post a comment. I moderate comments and will preserve your anonymity if you request it.
One of the recommendations for my particular form of neuromuscular disease is to eat red meat regularly. Horrors, what if I get a vegan checker at the grocery store?
