Walgreen's cited for refusing to sell morning-after pill

Peoria Journal Star ^ | Friday, September 16, 2005 | Mary Massingale

[BradMorris64]

A West Peoria Walgreen's pharmacy may lose its state license because a pharmacist refused to fill a prescription for the morning-after pill.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Thursday notified three pharmacies of a November hearing on consumer complaints about them refusing to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception, marketed as Plan B.

[squirt-gun]

Instead of closing the pharmacy, a better solution would be to close the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

[School of Rational Thought]

Is ther any agency to respond to companies violating second amendment rights?

[Archon of the East]

Only diversity that allows for no absolutes. In other words no diversity of beliefs allowed. Walgreens is a private enterprise isn't it?

[Clock King]

Exactly! A private business should be able to sell or not sell what they want.

[drjimmy]

Exactly! A private business should be able to sell or not sell what they want.

They lose that right when they agree to open a pharmacy that is licensed by the state. The state isn't threatening to shut down any Walgreen's stores, just their pharmacies. If you would prefer to have your medications dispensed by someone who is not licensed or regulated in any way, I'm sure you could find a street corner somewhere.

[Calvin Locke]

I had an eye infection once. On the way out of the Dr.s' office, the receptionist warned me that not all
pharmacies carry some of the stuff they prescribe.

She checked the script, and pointed me at one, but I made two calls to find one on the way home from work.
(I think CVS didn't, but Walgreens did,fwiw.)

What's the problem with calling around to find one that does carry that particular product?

[altura]

Wal-mart should be cited for refusing to sell Thin clothes.

Just try to find a size six petite. I dare you!

[FarmerW]

They lose that right when they agree to open a pharmacy that is licensed by the state.

That just isn't true. A state license doesn't force you to do anything. It permits you to practice within set guidelines, that's all. If you choose not to practice all the aspects of what you are licensed to do, that isn't illegal.

A physician is licensed by the state, can the state force all physicians to do abortions? (pray we never come to this, but I fear that is the next step they are going to take from this ruling). If that were true they could force ENT's to deliver babies, Radiologists to do surgery..they are licensed to practice medicine.

My hairdresser is licensed by the state. She doesn't do colorings only cuts, can I force her to color my hair?

[sticker]

"Wal-mart should be cited for refusing to sell Thin clothes"

Most of the clothes at Wal Mart are thin fabric

Sorry, just couldn't resist:)

[Hoof Hearted]

Great post - you made my day! Thanks

[squirt-gun]

If you would prefer to have your medications dispensed by someone who is not licensed or regulated in any way, I'm sure you could find a street corner somewhere.

Your comment seems a little "off the wall"

In the first place, the "morning after pill" is not created by the pharmacist. You could instead be perfectly safe by getting it from the local supermarket if the government didn't need to regulate everything on earth.

This particular pill arrives at Walgreen's, or any other place, as a patent protected, already produced pill that need only be put into a container. The day of the pharmacist creating a compound or mixture such as this with a mortar and pestle are long gone.

The regulation of pharmacies in the U.S. in many instances such as this is just more government providing unnecessary "protection" making life more miserable and products more costly. Democrats just love bureaucracies such as the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

[SubMareener]

Let me see if I have this right: A Pharmacy refuses to fill one prescription, and the State's response is to prohibit them from filling ANY prescriptions. Right?

[drjimmy]

That just isn't true. A state license doesn't force you to do anything. It permits you to practice within set guidelines, that's all. If you choose not to practice all the aspects of what you are licensed to do, that isn't illegal.

Read the article. The refusal to dispense the prescription was a violation of a rule approved by the state's governor and legislature under the Pharmacy Practice Act. The "set guidelines" under which pharmacies must practice include the rule "requiring pharmacies that sell contraceptives to fill prescriptions for the morning-after pill." Anyone who doesn't like it is welcome to challenge it in court and vote for lawmakers who support their position, but for now it's the law.

Your questions about abortions and hair coloring are red herrings. Of course the state could pass a law saying all doctors it licenses must perform abortions and all hairdressers it licenses must color hair. You would be welcome to challenge that in court and vote for lawmakers who support your position on that as well.

By the way, the way the pharmacists handled these prescriptions is in fact a violation of Walgreen's own corporate policies, so the pharmacists responsible could well be fired by this "private business."

[Amalie]

Your point is well-taken, and my feeling is that even a conservative court ruling would come down of the side of the law enacted by the state. These are issues that the states should have control over until a Constitutional amendment one way or the other is passed. This is the prime reason why Roe vs. Wade is the most horrible piece of judicial law with the weak possible exception of Dred Scot.

[Getready]

This "problem" is totally ridiculous.
The pharmacist should have filed a statement saying he/she
will not fill a prescription for something whose intent for
use is to cause an abortion (quote old Hippocratic oath for
backing of medical precedent)...

Then Walgreens just gotta post a list of pharmacies which
will fill those prescriptions...also the state could post a
list on the internet of pharmacies which will fill the RX.

One question however, did the person consent to sex? If so,
why should anyone HAVE to bail her out? If she didn't consent,
isn't that rape? You shouldn't DEMAND that others
HAVE to help you out of your OWN bad decisions.

[FarmerW]

The state law, unless the changed it recently, does not force any pharmacist to sell contraceptives as part of their license. It does force them to certain aspects of care if they choose to do so.

The pharmacist in question sound like they did break company policy. If they did, let the company deal with them as per the company policy. I really have no problem with companies setting and enforcing their own policies.