Planned Parenthood Demands CVS Action on Birth Control Prescriptions;"Don't Let This Happen Again"

releases.usnewswire.com ^

[chance33_98]

Planned Parenthood Demands CVS Action on Birth Control Prescriptions; Feldt to CVS CEO: Don't Let This Happen Again

3/31/2004 11:58:00 AM

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To: National Desk

Contact: Erin Libit of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 202-973-4883 or Erin.Libit@ppfa.org

NEW YORK, March 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Gloria Feldt is demanding that CVS CEO Tom Ryan take action after a CVS pharmacist refused to fill a prescription for birth control medication.

"On behalf of America's women, I want your personal guarantee that this will never happen again," Feldt wrote in a letter today to Ryan. "We want to know the immediate steps you will take to guarantee that all CVS pharmacies ensure that every patient's prescription is filled...I urge you to consider whose conscience really counts here."

A CVS Pharmacy in Texas refused Monday to fill a prescription for birth control pills for customer Julee Lacey. Lacey was told that the CVS pharmacist did not "believe" in birth control, and refused to fill the prescription.

CVS' customer service line initially informed callers that CVS supported the pharmacists' actions and that refusing to fill prescriptions based on personal beliefs was in line with CVS policy. Soon afterwards, however, callers to CVS were told their local pharmacist had not followed company policy.

According to CVS policy, a pharmacist who refuses to dispense medication based on personal ideology must make sure that the patient's prescription is filled anyway, either by another pharmacist at that location or by another pharmacy in the area.

"Contraception is basic medicine for women." Feldt said, "The refusal to provide it is an unacceptable imposition of narrow personal ideology on women's rights. This latest episode is just another in an ongoing series of attacks on women's reproductive health, and pharmacy refusals constitute a dangerous emerging trend. We won't stand silently by while Julee Lacey and women like her are denied the basic health care they need."

This is the second time in recent months that pharmacists have imposed personal ideological beliefs on patients in the state of Texas. In February, an Eckerd pharmacist in Denton, Texas, refused to fill a rape survivor's prescription for emergency contraception, an essential safe and effective tool in the fight against unintended pregnancy. He was subsequently fired for his actions.

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Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the nation's largest and most trusted voluntary reproductive health organization. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child -- and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate nearly 900 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year.

[cyborg]

Okay you are entitled to your opinion, but we disagree.

[ArrogantBustard]

If you can't distinguish between fixing what's broken and breaking what works just fine, you aren't in a position to "agree" or "disagree" with me. Your just typing words, but expressing no meaning. Did you actually read #28? Did you read #8, as well? Do you comprehend them? It certainly doesn't seem so.

[cyborg]

We disagree on BC. That's all.

[snowstorm12]

This is why they should make the pills over the counter. Most other countries have had the pills over the counter for many years. America is really behind the times. The pill has been studied for a very long time and it is extremely safe. Then any moralist pharmacist won't have any "blood on their hands" if that is what they believe. Is this the story where the guy asks the girl at the counter if she is using the pill for birth control? I would've told him none of your goddamn business! He has a lot of nerve causing a scene at the counter when other people in line could hear. I would definately never go stores that has pharmacists that like causing scenes, so totally unprofessionl. Is there anyway to know if pharmacies hires these religous beliefs pharmacists before you hand them your prescription? I wouldn't want to get medications from that pharmacy ever. He also didn't trasfer the prescription to another pharmacy because he was the only one working. What is the point of refusing? I don't get it. She is going to get the pills anyways because he works at a pharmacy that sells it. Why isn't working and recieving a paycheck from an evil store that participates selling birth control pills against his beliefs? Makes no sense! He's just out for attention.

[cyborg]

good answer

[NewLand]

"...if CVS (which is a publicly traded stock) refuses to dispense legal medication i can guarantee the value of shares will plummet.... and they are in the business of making a profit."

No, you cannot guarantee the value of the shares will plummet...especially if CVS attracts more new business than they might lose because of this action...get it? Free market, free society, free speech...it's a wonderful thing!!!

[simply marvelous]

"CVS' customer service line initially informed callers that CVS supported the pharmacists' actions and that refusing to fill prescriptions based on personal beliefs was in line with CVS policy. Soon afterwards, however, callers to CVS were told their local pharmacist had not followed company policy.

According to CVS policy, a pharmacist who refuses to dispense medication based on personal ideology must make sure that the patient's prescription is filled anyway, either by another pharmacist at that location or by another pharmacy in the area."



If she didn't make sure that another pharmacist took the presciption then she didn't follow company policy. Fire her.

[ArrogantBustard]

Why not? They sell rat poison and insecticide over the counter, too. It should be easy to get rid of all those pesky vermin.

[NewLand]

Why isn't working and recieving a paycheck from an evil store that participates selling birth control pills against his beliefs? Makes no sense! He's just out for attention.

Maybe so...but...using that logic, Rosa Parks should have just shut up and walked, instead of taking the 'evil' bus...? Was she just out for attention?

[simply marvelous]

Her should be Him. For some reason i thought the pharmacist was a woman.

[cyborg]

Is the pharmacist is a second class citizen struggling under institutionalized racism? If some lefty druggist decided not to give some lady her fertility drugs out of his/her moral beliefs is that wrong or not? Comparing Rosa Parks to this pharmacist who had a free will CHOICE as to where he worked is different.

[NewLand]

Is the pharmacist is a second class citizen struggling under institutionalized racism?

Are Christians second class citizens struggling under institutionalized secularism?

If some lefty druggist decided not to give some lady her fertility drugs out of his/her moral beliefs is that wrong or not?

I disagree with it but would easily solve it...go somewhere else! Remember, this is not Cuba. We have choices.

Comparing Rosa Parks to this pharmacist who had a free will CHOICE as to where he worked is different.

The principal is not different. It's just as easy to say "she should have walked" (equivalent of quit) as it was for snowbird to say "he should have quit". No difference in their absurdity...

[cyborg]

We have a difference of opinion.

[Nataku X]

Thanks. The responses in this thread get my blood boiling. There are many BC methods that are just as effective as the pill, and it's a lot easier to take a condom than to take the pill at the same time, EVERYday (which is the only context in which it will be effective). There's no conspiracy to cover up the side effects here.

I believe that if you have to take it for medical reasons you're already predestined for cancer. My grandmother had cancer. My mother and her sisters took the pill for medical reasons, and they got the same cancer at the same time my grandma did.

[contessa machiaveli]

some of the opinions on this thread have been truly amazing, sad thing is some of these people have daughters and it's hard for me to believe that anyone in the 21st century is against birth control. it's surreal.




thank goodness i don't have to deal with nonsense like this when i want a prescription filled. let's see how this incident plays itself out. it would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

[the_apocalypse]

The pharmacist was a woman.

I'm amazed at the lack of intellect put into most of these posts. Many of you think that a pharmacist has the "right" not to do their jobs??? Where do you work? Can you imagine a waiter at a steakhouse saying "sorry, you can't have the prime rib... I'm a vegitarian"... because that's exactly the incompetance you're advocating. If a pharmacist can't perform their most basic job duties due to personal beliefs, then they shouldn't ever have taken the job in the first place. I mean, did she really think she'd never find herself in a situation where she'd have to fill a birth control prescription? Pharmacies get dozens a day! And unlike a steakhouse, there's rarely more than 1 pharmacist on duty at a given time, especially during off-peak hours. There's a reason that you don't hear about doctors refusing to perform abortions for religious beliefs at abortion clinics... because they don't take the damn jobs!

Pull your heads out, people...