Ethical, religious and factual beliefs about the supply of emergency hormonal contraception by UK community pharmacists

The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care
Richard J CooperJoy Wingfield

Abstract

Community pharmacists' role in the sale and supply of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) represents an opportunity to increase EHC availability and utilise pharmacists' expertise but little is known about pharmacists' attendant ethical concerns. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 23 UK pharmacists to explore their views and ethical concerns about EHC. Dispensing EHC was ethically acceptable for almost all pharmacists but beliefs about selling EHC revealed three categories: pharmacists who sold EHC, respected women's autonomy and peers' conscientious objection but feared the consequences of limited EHC availability; contingently selling pharmacists who believed doctors should be first choice for EHC supply but who occasionally supplied and were influenced by women's ages, affluence and genuineness; non-selling pharmacists who believed EHC was abortion and who found selling EHC distressing and ethically problematic. Terminological/factual misunderstandings about EHC were common and discussing ethical issues was difficult for most pharmacists. Religion informed non-selling pharmacists' ethical decisions but other pharmacists prioritised professional responsibilities over their religion. Pharmacists' et...Continue Reading

References

Nov 30, 2002·The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care·E M SestonJ Cantrill
Jan 6, 2005·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Iris F Litt
Jun 11, 2005·Science·Henri R Manasse
Sep 1, 2005·Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA·Charles D Hepler
Oct 7, 2006·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Richard Ma

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Citations

Jun 5, 2015·The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care : the Official Journal of the European Society of Contraception·Sara HoltonJane Fisher
Jul 5, 2015·Journal of Medical Ethics·Zuzana Deans
Jul 5, 2013·The International Journal of Pharmacy Practice·Denise L HopeH Laetitia Hattingh
Apr 21, 2021·The International Journal of Pharmacy Practice·Clare MaxwellValerie Fleming
Apr 26, 2021·Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA·Gizem GülpınarNeyyire Yasemin Yalım

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