Ill. Druggists Must Dispense Birth Control

[Pinboy]

By MAURA KELLY LANNAN, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO - Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved an emergency rule Friday requiring pharmacies to fill birth control prescriptions quickly after a Chicago pharmacist refused to fill an order because of moral opposition to the drug.

The emergency rule takes effect immediately for 150 days while the administration seeks a permanent rule.

"Our regulation says that if a woman goes to a pharmacy with a prescription for birth control, the pharmacy or the pharmacist is not allowed to discriminate or to choose who he sells it to," Blagojevich said. "No delays. No hassles. No lectures."

Under the new rule, if a pharmacist does not fill the prescription because of a moral objection, another pharmacist must be available to fill it without delay.

MORE:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=20&u=/ap/20050402/ap_on_re_us/birth_control_governor

[bamademo]

1. About time

This right wing lunacy has gone too far too long.

[Zhade]

29. Man, I WISH it were just rightwingers pushing this.

It's not. Seen GD lately?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

43. Yes, there's a group on DU defending the pharmacists

it's reprehensible.

[RPM]

57. ugh - where and on what grounds

is this the whole "birth control is men subjugating women for sexual pleasure" rap?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

60. It's people justifying it on religious grounds. They obviously haven't

read the amendment regarding discrimination. For the record, many of these folks consistently argue against women's rights and abortion.

[Zhade]

63. They certainly do.

Some of them are even horrifically ignorant about basic established facts in the Schiavo case.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

64. Yup

Ah, the hypocrisy! :crazy:

[MeinaShaw]

82. Count me in

I don't think government has any right forcing people to go against their deeply held religious beliefs. There are plenty of places people can go to get birth control without forcing one pharmacist to go against his beliefs.

[Sandpiper]

2. If your dogmas prevent you from effectively performing your job

It's time to find a new line of work.

[Warpy]

10. Exactly, and any woman who runs into this needs to fire off a letter

to her state's pharmacist licensing board. Every state has one.

Only by issuing formal complaints and threatening these sanctimonious shits with the loss of their professional licenses can we give them an attitude adjustment as to what health care is all about.

[Ms. Toad]

62. Do you feel the same way

when strong moral beliefs lead to an action you find more palatable?

Whistle blowers bound to confidentiality by employment contracts, who reveal the corporation's legal but morally troubling conduct to the news media

Appellate judges who refuse to affirm any death penalty on principle, even when the grounds for appeal are without merit

Doctors who are forbidden by their practice group from knowing assisting suicide, who nonetheless prescribe pain killing medication to a patient intending to end his or her life

I certainly have the same gut reaction as you to pharmacists refusing to fill a birth control prescription - but I would cheer each of the above actions.

I worked as a clerk to an appellate judge (which means I drafted the opinions for the judge's review and signature). It is against my beliefs to participate in any manner in execution - which includes affirming a death penalty conviction. There were two death penalty cases that came through while I worked there, and I refused to write either of them. (I discussed this with the Republican, death penalty supporting judge at the time I was hired, and we agreed those opinions would go to the other clerk, which is not an option if I am the single judge rather than one of two clerks).

This means that folks like me, who have a principle based opposition to the death penalty, cannot serve as judges. If those of us with a principled opposition to the death penalty do not consider serving as judges for that reason, that leaves the judiciary biased toward death. If you read the studies about the composition of capital case juries (which automatically exclude anyone with a moral opposition to the death penalty) it also leaves a judiciary generally more biased toward conviction and toward imposing more punitive/less rehabilitative measures.

I don't know what the answer is. From my (probably biased) perspective, it is more likely folks like myself who decline to take the job at all because there are portions of it I could not perform in good conscience - as opposed to right wing folks who see nothing wrong with taking the job then imposing their morality on individuals in a harmful way. That resulting balance of self-"censorship" is not necessarily good for society - but I don't see an easy solution.

[MaineDem]

3. Thank you, Illinois!!!

This is major! A win for women, for sure!

[HockeyMom]

14. North Carolina Judge

ruled the same. Pharmacist (CVS) MUST give the prescription to another pharmacist to fill and CANNOT just throw it away. Guess who appointed this "liberal" judge? George Dubya Bush. lol

[More Than A Feeling]

16. Its a small comfort that even litmus test judges might

respect the law once they actually get appointed and start hearing cases.

[vogonjiltz]

27. True

I tend to feel that most people with qualifications to be a federal magistrate, be they liberal or conservative have to look at the facts and rule based on the law if not for the fear of being reversed on appeal. Of course, the idiots in charge now have wouldn't now competance and qualifications if it bit them on thier ass, and will probably stack the judiciary with like minded idiots so I don't know what the point my post is anymore.

[tblue37]

20. It says something about how far things have gone that we

actually count it as a triumph that a pharmacist "MUST give the prescription to another pharmacist to fill and CANNOT just throw it away."

[HockeyMom]

49. Griswald v Ct.

Because it can get a lot worse. How about adding condoms to the list? Before 1968, it was illegal to sell any birth control at all ( to a married person in Connecticut. Mrs. Griwald went to a pharmcy to purchse condoms. The archaic argument that states have an interest in procreation to make new citizens. Griswald was decided on the privacy issue. Individuals have a right to decide for themselves whether or not to have children and how many. This is the case which set the precedence for Roe v Wade. You know how they keep talking about Lawrence (sodomy) being used as an argument for gay marriage? They are extrapolating from Griswald to Roe. I am only playing devils advocate here. If you don't have the privacy for an abortion, do you still have the privacy to use birth control?

[tblue37]

76. In 1970, I was about to get married.

I went to my doctor for a birth control prescription, as I did not want children until after I had finished my degrees. I was only 20 at the time, but I knew I was going well beyond a B.A,, and I knew I wouldn't be ready for kids for several years.

The doctor refused to prescribe birth control pills, because it went against his religion.

I had actually even told the receptionist what I was making the appointment for, so there was no reason to set me up for an appointment that I had to pay for (no health insurance at the time), just so I could be told he wouldn't prescribe the pill for me. What a ripoff.

Since then, I have always gone to female doctors.

[flyarm]

47. women pharmasists should withhold viagra!

come on women.just say no to bob dole and his viagra!!

no birth control...no little richards.( dicks)
outlaw the little blue pill!!

just a little giggle here...on a serious problem..

thank you governor of illinois!!

tell those pharmasists ..no pill... no job!! no pill...you are fired!!

fly

[ultraist]

48. It's a step in the right direction, but it's not enough

The ruling still allows pharmacists to refuse to fill the BC prescription. That is discrimination; I do think that final rulings will not allow pharmacists to pick and choose after this runs it's course.

excerpts:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=20&u=/ap/20050402/ap_on_re_us/birth_control_governor

Steve Trombley, CEO for Planned Parenthood in Chicago, praised the state's efforts.

"When medical professionals write prescriptions for their patients, they are acting in their patients' best interests," Trombley said. "A pharmacist's personal views cannot intrude on the relationship between a woman and her doctor."

The Chicago pharmacist was not the first to attract attention for refusing to fill a birth control prescription.

In February, a judge recommended that a Roman Catholic pharmacist in Wisconsin be reprimanded and required to attend ethics classes after the pharmacist blocked a woman's attempt to fill a prescription for birth control pills in 2002.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. All right!

Glad to know Illinois believes in giving women the right to getting their prescriptions!

[Hailtothechimp]

5. Go Blago! Illinois is just about the bluest of blue states.

And, for this weekend, it's blue AND orange.

Glad to be living here.

[BamaLefty]

6. Amen

Right wing nutjobs at it again. Even THEY use birth control, everybody does... Catholics too.

[HockeyMom]

15. Yep

Why you see SO MANY Catholics with more than 2 or 3 kids. Well, other than Little Ricky.

[Jade Fox]

18. They get abortions too....

all the while protesting that they don't believe in abortion, but hey they
are in a real jam--already have three kids and hubby just lost his job, etc.

Apparently they think the rest of the world has abortions for fun.

[cap]

25. of course we do...

we arent as STUPID as the protestors are...

95% of us have used contraception at least once!
66% are pro-choice

[BamaLefty]

26. Lol-

Yeah.

[gizmo1979]

7. If you can't do the work

don't apply for the job!

[Tux]

9. So true

Now if they can do the same for ID in biology classes, we'd be set.

[Orangepeel]

8. try getting a job at Burger King and refusing to sell Whoppers

because eating meat is against your beliefs.

If a pharmacist doesn't believe in birth control, he or she should not use it. But, they shouldn't force their beliefs on others.

[Anakin Skywalker]

32. You Are Too Logical. Is That Allowed?

Here in the current political climate of Bush Country?

;)

[Book Lover]

11. Yes!

Thank you! Was that so hard, politically? Wonder if the Governator has the balls to do this.

[BlueIris]

12. Well, isn't that progressive.

It really disgusts me that pharmacists--and other healthcare industry employees--are pulling this ignorant, reprehesible, misogynist, BULLSHIT in the 21st century. I'm outraged whenever I hear about it. I've written, at this point, dozens of letters, sent scores of e-mail, made sure the pharmacies who take MY money would never THINK of allowing anyone to engage in these disgusting actions--none of which I, or any woman, should ever have to do.

[Gloria]

13. Thank you, finally, decisive action, no mincing words.....

Also.....with Dean being a doctor, why can't we hear more of him on this and also Schiavo, as part of "nationalizing" the discussion of GOP hypocrisy and invasion of privacy?? Also, what Gov. Owen is "debating" over regarding whether a rape victim is entitled to medical info involving the morning after pill?? (Like what, he serves ONLY CATHOLICS??????????????????????????)

[Pithlet]

17. Yes.

Hopefully they'll get a permanent one on the books.

[anitar1]

19. Revoke a few licenses and we will see a sudden turn around. n/t

[Stuckinthebush]

22. My thoughts, as well

The state gives licenses to pharmacists.

If the pharmacists do not obey state laws, pull their damn license. They can be morally conflicted in the unemployment line.

[tsuki]

41. No, I'd rather the pharmacies be required to have TWO pharmacist each

shift at around what, $100. or more an hour. Double their costs. Then you'd see some sh*t.

[MountainLaurel]

21. Bra-fucking-vo!

At least there's one state in this country that is still willing to stand up to the Talibornagains.

To governor Blagojevich:

:yourock:

[PassingFair]

30. Me so happy too!

:applause:

[WindRavenX]

23. hells yes!

FINALLY some good news! :bounce:

[Spangle]

24. What Moral Obligation?

Since they are NOT the Doctor, they have no CLUE what the script was given. They are presuming to know that it is for controcpection. Hmmmm... Stupid, stupid. Many drugs are scripted for other reasons besides what they are "known" for.

I"m glad the pharmacys will have to ensure that someone is present who is willing to DO THE JOB they were hired to do. If those guys can't do it, it's time for them to find a different job. Plan and simple. Just like everyone else.

[Kber]

71. Very true

I took BC pills to control migraine headaches as a teenager.

A friend of mine took pills at 12 because she formed a ovarian cyst every other month (which included a 103+ fever and vomiting). She grew out of it by the time she was 16 and stopped taking the pill after that. Remained a virgin the whole time.

Of course, she could have had her overy removed, thus necessating hormone therapy for the rest of her life.

[Zhade]

28. Good.

NT!

[Anakin Skywalker]

31. Neener Neener Neener, Fundies!

:P

[williesgirl]

33. Fill it or be fired

Pharmacists are hired to fill prescriptions - period. They should leave their personal feelings at home and do their job - or be fired. Handing off work to another coworker should not be allowed. It's their only responsibility. Plus, what if all the druggists in a particular store feel the same way.

[Shallah Kali]

34. Exactly! What would happen to a woman in a area with only 1 Pharm?

Sorry Ms. You have to drive to the next county to get your prescription, that is if they have a pharmacist willing to actually do their job.

The RW has mostly given up on banning BC outright so they are now resorting to measures like this. Thank goodness for this Governor and people who are standing up against these sneak attacks!

Here is a NARAL petition that will be sent to 5 pharmacy chains asking that they make sure that women's prescriptions are filled out. 20 states have laws allowing pharmacists to refuse birth control and emergency contraception. Some allow pharmacists to refuse any medication but someone how I don't think politicans would be allowing this if viagra, cialis, etc. was being refused.

Tell pharmacy chains to stop discriminating against women
http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/pharmacy_petition/

[Pinboy]

35. Thanks for petition news, Shallah. I signed. n/t

[Kool Kitty]

37. Thanks a mill for the link, Shallah.

I signed it and passed along the link to friends. I'm so glad to see this-it's about fuckin' time. And you're right regarding Viagra and Cialis, etc., they never seem to have a problem dispensing those.

[420inTN]

46. She better hope...

that they continue to stock the drug. And that the pharmacy doesn't decide to NOT carry the drug.

[Chovexani]

54. Thanks for the link

I signed and passed it to my friends. It makes me very thankful that I've never had a problem getting pills. Did you read some of the stories on the site? They're enough to make you cry for what's going on in this country. One poor woman in Texas was raped and tried to get emergency contraception and was denied by some not one, not two but three fundie pharmacists. Can you imagine being victimized like that and then have to beg for pills? How humiliating!

Remember if we can't control our own bodies then what freedom do we really have? The fundies are doing everything they can to make the Handmaid's Tale a reality.

[Pachamama]

58. Me too! And I forwarded to several other friends! n/t

[sescob]

67. Thanks for the link!

I will certainly be signing it AND passing it along to others.

[tyedyeto]

36. WTG Blagojevich!!

What gives any pharmacist any right to deny what a DOCTOR has prescribed?

Who knows why any Dr. has prescribed any medicine? Birth control medicines are written for any number of reasons, not just for birth control. And even if it was for regulating a females menstrual cycle, so what? Does this country really want out of control over-population? I think not!!

[Moderator]

38. kick to combine

[emad]

39. Ill. Governor Orders Prescriptions Filled

Guardian

Saturday April 2, 2005 5:01 PM


By MAURA KELLY LANNAN

Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) - Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved an emergency rule Friday requiring pharmacies to fill birth control prescriptions quickly after a Chicago pharmacist refused to fill an order because of moral opposition to the drug.

The emergency rule takes effect immediately for 150 days while the administration seeks a permanent rule.

``Our regulation says that if a woman goes to a pharmacy with a prescription for birth control, the pharmacy or the pharmacist is not allowed to discriminate or to choose who he sells it to,'' Blagojevich said. ``No delays. No hassles. No lectures.''

Under the new rule, if a pharmacist does not fill the prescription because of a moral objection, another pharmacist must be available to fill it without delay.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4909220,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

40. Well, yeah

Pharmacists must despense pharmaceuticals.
Topless dancers must dance topless.
Flight attendants must get on airplanes.
If you can't do your job, get another one.

[mainer]

42. Fundamentalists have just jumped the shark

Check out the Yahoo message board accompanying this article. Usually, you see a balanced mix of rightwing vs. leftwing rhetoric. In this case, the number of outraged posts are overwhelmingly against the offending pharmacists. This is a bigger wakeup call to americans than Terri schiavo was.

[Chovexani]

55. Even Freeper women need BC (n/t)

[420inTN]

44. What if they don't stock it?

What's to prevent them from not stocking birth control or RU-484?

[mondo joe]

45. There aren't that many independent pharmacies.

And if a person owns a pharmacy I'm not that opposed to them not stocking BC.

[flyarm]

50. i am very opposed to any pharmacy not stocking birth control..

many women are prescribed birth control for many other reasons than birth control!! its a medication for many womens problems!!

no birth control..no viagra!!

shut down a womens means of responsbility..then shut down the little dickies!!

this must stop..no one but a doctor and a woman must decide her medications!! period the end!!!!!!!!!!!!

fly

[420inTN]

59. Here's an informative article I saw a few days ago...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5490-2005Mar27_2.html

Apparently, four (4) states "allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions that violate their beliefs." Eleven (11) more are considering similar laws.

"The American Pharmacists Association recently reaffirmed its policy that pharmacists can refuse to fill prescriptions as long as they make sure customers can get their medications some other way."

"The alternative system can include making sure another pharmacist is on duty who can take over or making sure there is another pharmacy nearby willing to fill the prescription..."

"Large pharmacy chains, including Walgreens, Wal-Mart and CVS, have instituted similar policies that try to balance pharmacists' and customers' rights."

Basically, I think that this will wind up in the courts. However, according to this link some of the ground work has already been done:

In 1965, the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Griswold v. Connecticut found that married couples had the right to obtain contraceptives from licensed physicians, overturning state laws that had prohibited married couples from obtaining contraceptives.

The 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Eisenstadt v. Baird struck down a Massachusetts law prohibiting unmarried couples from receiving contraceptives.

Since 2002, a California law has allowed trained pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception without a prescription.

Of course, these rulings say that people have the right to obtain contraceptives, but not that pharmacists HAVE to sell them.

[mondo joe]

73. The problem there is that no pharmacy stocks everything.

I agree 100% that pharmacists should fill any prescription they carry.

It gets more tricky when determining what every pharmacy must carry. If they must carry BC Pills how many times do they have to carry? How much of each must they stock?

[flyarm]

78. well if they don't carry the most popular birth control pills then ..

they should be banned from carrying viagra..period!! why should they profit from mens drugs while condemning and discriminating against women ??
i will say this over and over..if they dont carry or wont fill birth control..then they should be stopped from filling viagra or any other mens sex pills!

fly

[mondo joe]

79. That's a fine idea but legislation needs to be precise in its language

yet broad enough to cover a range of circumstances.

I ask you to suggest a model for the law - what would they have to carry, how much of it, and how would it be determined and by whom.

[ultraist]

51. It would be pretty fucking lame not to stock a basic, high demand drug

There are lists of the basic, most demanded drugs that all pharmacies stock. In fact, I think in order to remain licensed they must stock certain drugs. There are a lot of regs that pharmacies have to follow.

Would it be ok for them not to stock AIDS drugs or sickle cell anemia drugs? (sickle cell anemia affects primarily Blacks).

This new moral objection BS is unconstitutional. It is ILLEGAL to discriminate against someone based on their sex. This is clearly discrimination against women. I can't WAIT until this gets more into the courts. It will be a big FUCK YOU to the religious nuts. Just as we saw with the Shiavo case.

[mondo joe]

74. I have in the past suggested a basic formulary that must be

stocked at a minimum as a requirement for licensing.

And if that is workable I would not be opposed to it.

[Pachamama]

52. This should apply to all prescription drugs! How dare any more of these

"Religious Extremists" decide to impose their interpretation of "morals" onto anyone! I think its good this ermergency rule was put into effect and specifically mentions Birth Control to send a message, but meanwhile Lawmakers need to put in place laws that should also include language that this applies to ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS and that no one in the field of being a licensed Pharmacist, licensed to dispensing prescription medication, can withhold this from any patient for any reason. And if they do, they should be relieved of their duties and lose their license for being a Pharmacist.

Can you imagine if a Pharmacist withheld say Blood Pressure Medication and someone died? Or in this case a woman gets an unwanted pregnancy as a result of not having her birth control and as a result seeks an abortion or the pregnancy is actually harmful to her health?

How DARE any of these effing Religious Extremists impose THEIR BELIEFS on any of us and abuse their positions of any kind (in this case a Pharmacist denying a medication) and thereby threatening our health, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

I am so effing tired of these Religious Extremist whack jobs in this country who only represent a small percentage of our country acting like the ruling majority and imposing their beliefs and will on it! I WILL NOT STAND QUIETLY BY WHILE THESE WHACKOS TRY TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY!

:grr:

[ultraist]

53. I agree, it should apply to all prescriptions

What if a schizophrenic was refused because the pharmacists didn't believe it was moral to treat mental illness with drugs because one should look to "God?" This person may well became suicidal or homocidal if they went without their meds.

This is such BS. This is why we have anti discrimination laws, so that someone's "morals" or bigotry cannot dictate who is served and not served.

How long before blacks and gays will be refused service?

This is obviously targeted to oppress women. But if they were to get away with this, Gays & Blacks will be next.

[Pachamama]

61. It should specify all prescriptions & specifically call out birth control!

That way, the Religious Extremists can't get birth control to be re-defined as something other than a prescription (if the law only included "prescription drugs").

And I agree with you on the declaration of someone's "morals" being able to translate and cross the line into other things including discrimination...the only thing there is that there are laws on the books to protect Blacks, but not someone because of their sexual preference. All I know is that whenever people start claiming the "moral highground and authority" and then want to combine that as part of legislation or laws that can be imposed on the population, that we get into real dangerous territory...

Like I said - I'm tired of Religious Extremists! Its not Dems vs. Republicans - its AMERICANS Who love their Constitution vs. Religious Extremists! That's the real battle and its starting to become obvious even to Republican friends of mine who so far have been touting loyalty to the GOP, but are now realizing the GOP has left them and has been taken over by this Religious Right Wing!

[struggle4progress]

56. Contraceptive Rxs ordered filled

... Also Friday, the governor's Department of Financial and Professional Regulation filed an administrative complaint against the Osco store in the Loop where an unidentified pharmacist twice in February declined to fill the women's prescriptions on moral grounds ...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/west/chi-0504020293apr02,1,1055346.story?coll=chi-newslocalwest-hed
(emphasis added)

[Princess Turandot]

65. Good for him..

people should not go into the allied health professions who will refuse to do what they are trained, sworn & hired to do: follow a legal order given by a physician for the care of a patient.

Next we'll have ultrasound techs refusing to do them on pregnant women because they don't want them to discover abnormalities which may make the woman opt for an abortion. Or lab techs, refusing to analyze amniocentesis fluid samples, for similar reasons. Hell, maybe women should never have xrays at all because of the minute chance that her ovaries could be harmed.

[sescob]

66. Thank Goodness!

I find it RIDICULOUS that ANY pharmacist would prevent someone from getting their meds because THEY have moral issue w/ the drug prescribed. It's not their job to dispense judgement.

[HockeyMom]

70. Anti gay medical treatment law

Did you see that on another thread? Is it Michigan? I forget. Law under consideration which allow medical personnel to refuse to treat gays based on their moral objections. What is happening to us?

We are becoming the "Christian" Taliban I am afraid. Birth control is just the tip of the iceberg.

[napi21]

68. Not to make this rediculous, but have any of these pharmicists

refused to fill Viagra prescriptions?

God forbid some religious zelot is against pain killers, or opiates prescribed for end of life situations.

[Auntie Bush]

69. I wonder what is going to happen to this country if Bush gets in all

those Conservative judges. They would have ruled it was OK not to fill their prescriptions.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

72. I hope he gets reelected. The republicans here are dancing for joy

They think they're going to win it easy.

[Lori Price CLG]

83. He will until touchscreen 'voting' machines are implemented. n/t

[Shallah Kali]

75. Link to email major pharm chains asking them to fill perscriptions

http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/pharmacy_petition/

I posted this in a previous comment but I wanted to make sure as many people as possible see this so ya'll can sign if you want to.

[Pinboy]

77. Kick for Shallah's petition link! n/t

[AnneD]

80. As a professional Registered Nurse

I have a duty to care for those in my care, wheither they be rapist, child molester, murderers, etc. While I loathe their actions, I am bound to take care as part of my professional oath and licensure. These pharmicists have abandon their professional duty and should be held accountable for their actions! These are legally prescribed drugs and not filling the legal prescription is clearly abandoning ones duty and interfering with and obstructing health care delivery.

[Ellen Forradalom]

81. I'm so glad the IL authorities hopped right on this one

Not in my state, dammit. This shit has to be nipped in the bud. We can't have individuals tossing medical science and the regulatory process out the window because their own personal Jeebus told them to. If the pharmacist has a beef with the medication, there's a political process to address that, or he can get a new job.