PHARMACISTS

AND

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Many pharmacists particularly from an Islamic and Roman Catholic background wish to have the right not to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception.  They think such contraception causes an early abortion for their religion says so.  This form of contraception works best when taken between one and three days following unprotected sex or after when contraceptives or condoms failed.  Women who were raped may look for emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception prevents the fertilised egg from implanting in the womb.  It does not kill the egg directly.  The womb lining is changed by the contraceptives so that the egg will be unable to implant and grow into a baby.  The same thing happens if a woman conceives during breastfeeding.  The egg won't implant.  The pharmacists and their religions are not campaigning against women having sex during lactation.  

The pharmacists are meant to dispense medication.  That is their job.  The reasons a woman may ask them to fill a prescription for emergency contraception are between her and her doctor and it is not the pharmacists' concern.  The pharmacist who refuses to give emergency contraception is not respecting the woman's decision and forcing her or his religious beliefs on the woman.  Also, the woman might not use the contraception.  If she takes it, it is her who will lose the egg not the pharmacist.

If a pharmacist has religious objections to giving out emergency contraception, the pharmacist should look for another job.  As long as he or she wants to be a pharmacist he or she must dispense the contraception.  Where will it end if we give her or him the "right" to refuse?  Why stop with religion?  Why not permit a pharmacist who believes that vitamin c causes cancer to refuse to dispense it?  Do we need to start giving Catholic taxi-drivers the right to refuse to drive a woman to an abortion clinic or a Mormon Church?

Roman Catholic hospitals are required by Church authorities to comply fully with Church teaching.  They are not permitted to give abortion referrals for example.  The fact that the woman may believe abortion is her right and when referred it is no longer the Church's concern has not occurred to the Church with its gall.  The woman might change her mind after she is referred.  If it is the Church's concern that she may have an abortion then it must be the right of the Church to stop her by force as well.  After all, if the Church has the right to interfere then why not?