Should Pharmacists be allowed to not sell emergency contraception?

[Sbane]

So should Pharmacists be allowed to not sell emergency contraception such as Plan B or Next Step? In my opinion they shouldn't be able to not sell these products. It is their job to sell them and if they don't like it they should find another line of work. There are plenty of Pharmacists out there who will do the job properly.

[Sbane]

Yes, if you work in a chain you must dispense it. The independents can choose their own formulary but one that doesn't keep even one box in stock would be one I would not patronize.

[Sbane]

So should Pharmacists be allowed to not sell emergency contraception such as Plan B or Next Step? In my opinion they shouldn't be able to not sell these products. It is their job to sell them and if they don't like it they should find another line of work. There are plenty of Pharmacists out there who will do the job properly.

Right, there are plenty of pharmacists who will fill it if a few don't. So why force them to? 

Meh, like I said independents can do whatever they want. If you work at a chain you should have to fill it. These people are complete assholes though who support greater levels of abortion.

[Sbane]

As far as I know, due to these conscience clauses, in many states any Pharmacist regardless of who they work for can refuse to sell emergency contraception. They can also refuse to sell controlled medications if they feel it will be diverted or misused. Indeed, in TN if you smell someone reeking of alcohol you cannot sell them controlled medications. Beyond that I don't think a pharmacist can just refuse to dispense your Lisinopril or your Prednisone. Emergency contraception they can because our society is still fine with shaming women. Independents can do whatever they want but Pharmacists who work for chains should not be sheltered.

[Sbane]

Yes, companies should be allowed to sell or not sell whatever products they want.

So if CVS stocks morning after pills, should a Pharmacist working for them be allowed to not sell it.

[Sbane]

The problem is that in many states the government has passed laws making it ok for Pharmacists to not dispense these products with a low risk of getting fired for it. Now, I don't know whether a law requiring independent Pharmacies to carry these products is necessary, but let's make sure this sort of behavior isn't protected by the law.

And of course this isn't a problem at all in any urban or suburban area, since there is likely a Pharmacy within a mile or two radius, but it can impact people in rural areas.

[Sbane]

Yes, companies should be allowed to sell or not sell whatever products they want.

So if CVS stocks morning after pills, should a Pharmacist working for them be allowed to not sell it.

Oh, I though the title said pharmacies, not pharmacists. I would assume that most stores would have policies against workers refusing to sell products that are in the store, so I wouldn't think this is a common problem.

Pharmacies are heavily regulated by the government. And no, it's not just those damn libruls. Here in TN, we have to ask for ID every time anyone picks up a controlled medication, even if we know who they are and have been serving them for years. It pisses them off, and slows down our workflow in a work environment that is already extremely fast paced. How's that for idiotic government regulation? Of course when the Republicans do it, it's just fine, yeah?

So this means that in many states Pharmacists can refuse to sell Plan B or Next Step due to their religious beliefs. The chain stores may want their Pharmacists to fill it, but they can't actually do anything about it and cannot take any action against those Pharmacies. The Board of Pharmacy is king, not the stores.

[Sbane]

The problem with allowing pharmacists to refuse is what to do when all decide to refuse and an area has no access to emergency contraception.  Should the government step in and distribute it in that scenario, or should the government require private pharmacies to do so?

People who care can step in and provide it, and the government can allow it to be distributed directly by any health care provider, public or private.

What exactly are you envisioning? This is not like a health clinic where you can set it up a couple of times a year in an indigent community and check their blood pressure and blood glucose. The need for this can arise at any time and the medication needs to be used within 72 hours.

[Sbane]

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WTF? When did I ever say regulation of business is fine if Republicans do it? I oppose those regulations & would oppose them regardless of who's proposing them.

Sorry for putting words in your mouth, but usually only Democrats are blamed for needless regulations.