Refusals by pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception: a critique

Obstetrics and Gynecology
L Lewis Wall, Douglas Brown

Abstract

Over the past several months, numerous instances have been reported in the United States media of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions written for emergency postcoital contraceptives. These pharmacists have asserted a "professional right of conscience" not to participate in what they interpret as an immoral act. In this commentary, we examine this assertion and conclude that it is not justifiable, for the following reasons: 1) postcoital contraception does not interfere with an implanted pregnancy and, therefore, does not cause an abortion; 2) because pharmacists do not control the therapeutic decision to prescribe medication but only exercise supervisory control over its dispensation, they do not possess the "professional right" to refuse to fill a legitimate prescription; 3) even if one were to grant pharmacists the "professional right" not to dispense prescriptions based on their own personal values and opinions, pharmacists "at the counter" lack the fundamental prerequisites necessary for making clinically sound ethical decisions, that is, they do not have access to the patient's complete medical background or the patient's own ethical preferences, have not discussed relevant quality-of-life issues with the patient, a...Continue Reading

References

Sep 24, 1998·British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·S M YentisF Plaat
Jun 11, 1999·The New England Journal of Medicine·A J WilcoxC R Weinberg
Jun 12, 1999·International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics : the Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics·J G Schenker, J M Cain
Apr 17, 2001·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·F A Chervenak, L B McCullough

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Citations

Jan 19, 2011·The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy·Robert F Card
Jul 10, 2007·Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA·Katherine Kelly Orr, Sarah Grace Kachur
Jun 6, 2009·Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health·Olivia SampsonHeike Thiel de Bocanegra
Oct 23, 2008·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Jerome R Wernow, Donald G Grant
Jun 29, 2006·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Kelly Dowhower Karpa
Jul 20, 2006·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Gerald G Briggs
Jul 20, 2006·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Charles D Ponte
Jul 20, 2006·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·Karim Anton CalisFredric A Lombardo
Sep 2, 2006·Obstetrics and Gynecology·Shareen El-Ibiary, Jennifer Cocohoba
Sep 2, 2008·Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health·Margaret W Beal, Joyce Cappiello
Jan 25, 2007·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·Sumesh Kachroo
Jan 12, 2007·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·Emily W Evans
Dec 2, 2006·Obstetrics and Gynecology·John A Gans
Nov 2, 2006·Obstetrics and Gynecology·Ralph Baergen, Christopher Owens
May 1, 2021·Pharmacy : Journal of Pharmacy, Education and Practice·Christopher T Owens, Ralph Baergen

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