UK pharmacist refuses to give morning after pill 'on religious grounds'

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Worried mum Jo-Ann Thomas was left stunned when Muslim pharmacist refused her a morning after pill on religious grounds.

[...]

Mum of two Jo-Ann from Thurcroft, Rotherhamm said: "I asked why I couldn't have the pill and the assistant went bright red and after a pause said ' I can't tell you'."

I said: "I want to know why and she said 'don't say anything to anyone - it's because of his religion'."

I just stared at her with my mouth open.

"I asked for the pill because you have to take it within 72 hours and this was now 36 hours. I don't want to increase my family and this was an accident so I needed to take the pill. In the end I had to go to the doctor's surgery."

"I was angry because he is a dispensing chemist and it is his job to dispense drugs. If he can't do that on religious grounds then perhaps he should not be in the profession."

[...]

"I am a 37-year-old woman and not a daft girl who does not know what she is doing. And the chemist has no right to tell me whether I can or can't take the pill. It's my choice not his. It his his religion not mine."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/mailFrameset...in_page_id=1770

[Mags 112]

Well, he is in the wrong job then. How ridiculous.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Worried mum Jo-Ann Thomas was left stunned when Muslim pharmacist refused her a morning after pill on religious grounds.

[...]

Mum of two Jo-Ann from Thurcroft, Rotherhamm said: "I asked why I couldn't have the pill and the assistant went bright red and after a pause said ' I can't tell you'."

I said: "I want to know why and she said 'don't say anything to anyone - it's because of his religion'."

I just stared at her with my mouth open.

"I asked for the pill because you have to take it within 72 hours and this was now 36 hours. I don't want to increase my family and this was an accident so I needed to take the pill. In the end I had to go to the doctor's surgery."

"I was angry because he is a dispensing chemist and it is his job to dispense drugs. If he can't do that on religious grounds then perhaps he should not be in the profession ."

[...]

"I am a 37-year-old woman and not a daft girl who does not know what she is doing. And the chemist has no right to tell me whether I can or can't take the pill. It's my choice not his. It his his religion not mine."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/mailFrameset...in_page_id=1770

I don't agree with the part in bold-red...as I know a strong Christian (he was the cameraman who did my wedding video) who also would not dispense such trash.

[Mags 112]

His job is to dispense ALL drugs available. He can't NOT dispense them if a customer asks for them.

[sparkofcreation 0]

His job is to dispense ALL drugs available. He can't NOT dispense them if a customer asks for them.

Sadly, in many states in the US it is legal to refuse to dispense things that are against the pharmacist's religious beliefs. In other states, there are laws that specifically allow for the pharmacist to be disciplined for refusing. It hasn't made it to the Supreme Court yet.

I've even heard of pharmacists refusing to dispense certain drugs that are commonly used to treat STDs (including AIDS drugs), because if you sin, you should have to suffer the consequences. In fact, the article I read about it recently had the pharmacist ripping up the woman's prescription in front of her (IIRC she had shingles, which is caused by the herpes virus and treated with the same drugs).

Personally ... if you don't want to dispense drugs which are perfectly legal and approved by the government as safe, you should go work somewhere that doesn't dispense those drugs (like a Catholic hospital). (Is the morning-after pill OTC in Britain? They just approved it as such in the US, although it's kept behind the counter and can't be sold to anyone under 18.)

Edited October 14, 2006 by sparkofcreation

[Mags 112]

Could it be a power thing aswell d'ya think? Kind of like a "I'm going to punish you for sinning by not giving you the drugs you need"?

[de_sjiem 0]

I once went to a walk in clinic in Canada and they refused to give me my depo shot based on their catholic beliefs.. wasn't a big deal though, I just went to a different clinic. There are other pharmacies, and other clinics and other places to go for these things, we shouldnt force our beliefs etc on others if its going to make them feel uncomfortable, even if we dont agree. There are other places to go

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Well, he is in the wrong job then. How ridiculous.

[luvaLimey 0]

I've even heard of pharmacists refusing to dispense certain drugs that are commonly used to treat STDs (including AIDS drugs), because if you sin, you should have to suffer the consequences. In fact, the article I read about it recently had the pharmacist ripping up the woman's prescription in front of her (IIRC she had shingles, which is caused by the herpes virus and treated with the same drugs).

Shingles is caused by the Varicella virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. Anyone can get shingles, even if they remain a virgin their entire lives. If you've had chicken pox, there's a chance you could get shingles too.

[ceriserose 1]

I once went to a walk in clinic in Canada and they refused to give me my depo shot based on their catholic beliefs.. wasn't a big deal though, I just went to a different clinic. There are other pharmacies, and other clinics and other places to go for these things, we shouldnt force our beliefs etc on others if its going to make them feel uncomfortable, even if we dont agree. There are other places to go

That's fantastic when you can readily make it to the "other places to go". That's not always the case in smaller regions.

[sparkofcreation 0]

I've even heard of pharmacists refusing to dispense certain drugs that are commonly used to treat STDs (including AIDS drugs), because if you sin, you should have to suffer the consequences. In fact, the article I read about it recently had the pharmacist ripping up the woman's prescription in front of her (IIRC she had shingles, which is caused by the herpes virus and treated with the same drugs).

Shingles is caused by the Varicella virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. Anyone can get shingles, even if they remain a virgin their entire lives. If you've had chicken pox, there's a chance you could get shingles too.

I know. But there is an STD (maybe it's not herpes) caused by the same or a very similar virus and treated with the same drugs.

I once went to a walk in clinic in Canada and they refused to give me my depo shot based on their catholic beliefs.. wasn't a big deal though, I just went to a different clinic. There are other pharmacies, and other clinics and other places to go for these things, we shouldnt force our beliefs etc on others if its going to make them feel uncomfortable, even if we dont agree. There are other places to go

That's fantastic when you can readily make it to the "other places to go". That's not always the case in smaller regions.

Agreed. There are many, many parts of the US where the nearest "other place to go" can be an hour or more away.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I know in Canada there are Catholic hospitals that won't perform tubal ligations or vasectomies because they do not support birth control on religious grounds. I agree, however, that if the pharmacist cannot support the dispensation of legally approved drugs he should reconsider his profession.

For those who object on grounds of Christian morality for dispensing certain drugs I do remember that the Bible states 'Judgement is Mine, saith the Lord' (or something like that) Perhaps they should just do their jobs and leave the judging up to God .

Edited October 15, 2006 by Kathryn41

[sheraz 0]

It was not the muslim pharmacist. But rather a catholic in Illinois. He was fired from Walgreens and now is suing Walgreens. Get the story straight first. Besides, this is old news

The morning after pill does not need a prescription anymore

[ceriserose 1]

It was not the muslim pharmacist. But rather a catholic in Illinois. He was fired from Walgreens and now is suing Walgreens. Get the story straight first. Besides, this is old news

The morning after pill does not need a prescription anymore

Did you miss the link to the story? It's in the first post.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/mailFrameset...in_page_id=1770

edited for a typo

Edited October 15, 2006 by ceriserose

[sparkofcreation 0]

I know in Canada there are Catholic hospitals that won't perform tubal ligations or vasectomies because they do not support birth control on religious grounds. I agree, however, that if the pharmacist cannot support the dispensation of legally approved drugs he should reconsider his profession.

And that was a huge crisis in the city I used to work as a medical interpreter in, because the only hospital that would deliver in the case of high-risk pregnancies was Catholic, and the only way that Medicaid will pay for a tubal ligation (the only acceptable form of birth control for many poor Hispanics--don't ask me why, because I don't know--although I also think Medicaid won't pay for other forms of contraception at all) is if it's done immediately after giving birth. So a poor woman with a high-risk pregnancy had to deliver at the Catholic hospital, but then she couldn't get a tubal, because she couldn't afford it without Medicaid assistance, but Medicaid wouldn't pay unless she had it immediately after giving birth, but she couldn't get it immediately after giving birth, so she'd end up having one high-risk pregnancy after another.

Finally the other (public, secular) hospital in the city opened a high-risk pregnancy department, so hopefully the situation has abated now.