Can we turn the tide and make the moral high ground the moral low ground?

[Horse with no Name]

It is outrageous that Pharmacists have the ability to refuse to fill prescriptions that they don't believe in.
Is this setting the precedent for more ominous refusals of care?
For instance, you have a nurse that is Jehovah's Witness. She can decide that you won't get blood, even though it is physician ordered?
This is an interesting parallel that must be taken into account when we sit idly by and allow these types of infringements on our personal liberties.
I believe we should figure out what type of action to take against these types of aggressions.
We should fight for legislation that says, "Okay, you can REFUSE to fill prescriptions, but the first time your facility or representative of your facility does this, ALL funding via private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare will cease. You will become a cash only business."
Patients don't always have the right to choose which pharmacy they use because of what their insurance dictates, and it is only insanity which gives us a choice of someone who will not fill our medication.
This should apply to ALL healthcare--pharmacy, clinics, hospitals, etc.
I guarantee if we can get something to this effect, profit and loss will supercede morality in almost every instance.

[Mizmoon]

1. I think the market will take care of this one

you think your average woman is going to take being made to feel "immoral" for getting pills? No way, man. Mega complaints to the main office will solve this one I think.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[peacebird]

4. small towns frequently only have one pharmacy

so it is more than a "little bit of a hassle"

Plus - I personally find it repugnant that a pharmacist feels empowered to lecture a customer about their prescritption. Not their place, none of their business.

[Horse with no Name]

5. What if the pharmacy down the street does not

accept your insurance?
You are putting the burden of having to pay cash on the consumer. These insurance companies have formularies of covered medication which implies that this is what will be filled.
IF the pharmacy refuses to fill your prescription, they are in essence breaching the formulary of their provider.
This can't and shouldn't be allowed.
Did you get lost?

[mac56]

11. Welcome to DU.

Have you ever had to find a second small town pharmacy in a big hurry?

Methinks not.

[LuminousX]

14. It's called Science

and if someone wants to be a pharmacist, that person is making a commitment to do the phracking job. If that person has issues with handing out certain types of medication, that person needs a different job.

[whistle]

3. I never heard of that being done, are their actual documented cases

...where that has happened and the medical professionals who refused to provide the prescribed care and/or drugs and procedures were allowed to get away with that? I would think that is considered medical malpractice and the individual would loose their license plus spend time in jail, while the medical institution they committed this in would also be liable for damages.

[peacebird]

6. It has happened - and is happening more frequently - here's a link

link from todays WaPo on this issue:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5490-2005Mar27.html

[Horse with no Name]

7. Yes. It is becoming a problem.

"This is a very big issue that's just beginning to surface," said Steven H. Aden of the Christian Legal Society's Center for Law and Religious Freedom in Annandale, which defends pharmacists. "More and more pharmacists are becoming aware of their right to conscientiously refuse to pass objectionable medications across the counter. We are on the very front edge of a wave that's going to break not too far down the line."

An increasing number of clashes are occurring in drugstores across the country. Pharmacists often risk dismissal or other disciplinary action to stand up for their beliefs, while shaken teenage girls and women desperately call their doctors, frequently late at night, after being turned away by sometimes-lecturing men and women in white coats.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5490-2005Mar27.html

[katmondoo]

9. Women have to learn to stand up to this

Threaten to picket, get back the presciption then make huge fusses and disruptive noises, get others together to loudly complain to the manager, never give up and slink away, these people have no right to play God.

[HockeyMom]

10. Worst case scenario

I think it was in South Carolina at a CVS Pharmacy. Pharmacist refused to dispense birth control pills. The woman was married and had her two kids in tow with her. He would not only not dispense the pills, but he also refused to giver her back the prescription. Her husband came back later to the store and DEMANDED he either dispense the pills OR GIVE HIM BACK THE PRESCRIPTION. The husband was told by the pharmacist that he had torn up the prescription and thrown it away.

Guess what? Of course, they sued. The judge (George Bush appointment) ruled that the pharmacist did have a right to refuse on his religious objections (sic), BUT had no right based on his religious objectins to not give the prescription to another pharmacist (who actually WAS on duty at the time), and absolutely no right to throw the prescription in the garbage. Very, very bad that he had right to refuse. HORRIBLE that he tore it up and threw it out.

The couple was awarded a settlement, but the article I read didn't say how much. Given it was CVS, I would imagine was a pretty penny.

[Tux]

8. Yes

In some states, it's required that a phrmacists not to fill out prescribtions if it violates thier beliefs. Some can lecture or try to convert people over birth control pills, condoms, whatever. Soon only Christians will be able to get medical care. Time to take our nation from CHristians is now. We can't let thier mental illness ruin our nation, our lives, or our planet. Time is now to stop them once and for all. Never again shall Christians be allowed in our nation.

[iconoclastNYC]

12. Scary.

These religious fundies are over reaching big time and the Republican party is soon going to regret hoping in bed with them.

I know Jeb is allready stinging from it.

You know I think the Republican infiltrators in the Republican party are working overtime to influence the party so we do not run "against" religious fundamentalism. That's why you have all these consultants and DLC type people who are saying we need to cozy up to red-state values voters.....when what we should be doing is exposing how religious fundamentalist, the american taliban, has taken control of the republican party leadership.

The Republicans know thier weakeness and I think they have ways of covertly making sure that we do not have the fortitude to go after thier weak spots. Tin foil hat to be sure, but i dont think you can accomplish what they have accomplished without being very sneaky and underhanded.

[LuminousX]

13. I want my pharmacist to be a scientist first,

and whatever else she/he believes in second.

I really don't want a New Agey Pharmacist telling me that he won't fill my antifungal cream prescription because fungus has as much right to live as I do.

If they don't like it, then they should get out of the business. If I am an animal rights activist, I sure in hell wouldn't go work for a abbatoir. If their religion dictates that they cannot dispense certain medications, then they shouldn't be allowed to dispense any. It isn't their place to override a doctor's orders.