This Woman Claims A Pharmacist Denied Her Miscarriage Medication Because He "Was A Good Catholic man
This Woman Claims A Pharmacist Denied Her Miscarriage Medication Because He Said He “Was A Good Catholic Man”
A spokesperson for Meijer told BuzzFeed News the pharmacist in question is no longer with the company. However, they did not respond to inquiries about whether he was reprimanded for the alleged incident.
Rachel Peterson, a 35-year-old resident of Ionia, Michigan, filed an official complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday against a Meijer pharmacy in Petoskey, Michigan, claiming a pharmacist who was employed by the company at the time had refused to fill a prescription she needed to help complete a miscarriage. He allegedly cited his personal religious beliefs — and also refused to transfer the prescription elsewhere.
Peterson told BuzzFeed News the incident occurred in July. A few days earlier, she received devastating news that she had a pregnancy loss due to miscarriage, and that the doctor gave her the option to “let things progress naturally,” she said.
“They recommended I take the medication prescribed to me ... so I didn’t have to go through a more invasive procedure,” said Peterson. Her OB-GYN prescribed Cytotec, a medicine that helps to induce contractions and complete a miscarriage.
According to Peterson, when she called a local Meijer pharmacy on July 1, she was told her prescription would be ready for pickup within the hour. However, when she and her husband were heading out to pick it up, she received a call from a pharmacist at the location who apparently told her he could not fulfill the order because he was “a good Catholic man.”
“He said he could not in good conscious give this medicine ‘[be]cause he was a good Catholic man,’” Peterson said the pharmacist told her over the phone. “I asked and I said, ‘are you serious right now?’ I could not believe this was happening.”
She said she then felt compelled to have to explain to the pharmacist that her “ultrasound did not have a heartbeat, and I needed the medicine to further the process along.” But the pharmacist would not budge, nor would he transfer her prescription to another location. Fortunately, she said she was able to call another local pharmacy, which was able to fairly quickly and efficiently prepare the medicine that she needed.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/woman-claims-meijer-pharmacist-denied-miscarriage-medicine
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According to his LinkedIn page, Kalkman has been a pharmacist “in the retail setting” for “over 28 years.”
His LinkedIn bio reads, “I have worked as a pharmacist in the retail setting for over 28 years. I enjoy working with staff, other health care professionals and patients to achieve positive outcomes for my patients. Along with being a staff pharmacist, I have also had the responsibility of being a pharmacy manager for nine years. During my time as a manager I was responsible for overseeing the successful set up and opening of pharmacies at two locations. I pride myself on efficiency, accuracy and a good work ethic. I am honest, caring and have my patients’ and coworkers’ best interest in mind always. I am committed to the hard work ethic, integrity and fortitude required to effectively thrive in this caring and healing profession of pharmacy.”
Kalkman’s LinkedIn also reveals that he has worked for Meijer since 1989, and that he attended Ferris State University from 1985-1990 to receive a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy.
2. Kalkman Denied Her Prescription Because He Is a ‘Good Catholic Male’
