Posted on 01/27/2006 12:56:47 PM PST by wagglebee
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, January 27, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Target pharmacist has lost her job for refusing to dispense or refer for the abortifacient morning-after pill.
“For me, life begins with two cells,” said Heather Williams, explaining that the so-called emergency contraception pill, Plan B by Barr Pharmaceuticals, often prevents implantation of a newly formed human embryo within the uterine wall – which, of course, constitutes abortion. The same mechanism is responsible for the sometimes abortifacient effect of the regular birth-control-pill.
According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, Williams has refused to dispense or refer for the abortifacient for the past five years while working as a part-time Target pharmacy employee. She argues that to refer patients to a dispensary where they can find them is equally immoral. “I just can’t be a link in the chain at all,” Williams said.
Williams, who is a mother of three, lost her job over the issue as of January 1. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of Missouri. She says, however, that the blame for her dismissal belongs to Planned Parenthood, not the Target store. Planned Parenthood has spearheaded efforts across the US to mandate that pharmacists co-operate in chemical abortion.
Williams and attorney Ed Martin have appeared on television to argue that pharmacists are the scapegoats in the battle over Plan B. Martin is also the attorney for four Walgreens pharmacists from across the river in St. Louis, Illinois, who lost their jobs for the same reason. The four refused to abide by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s decree mandating that pharmacists dispense the abortifacient.
Blagojevich warned Illinois pharmacists in April to dispense the abortifacient morning-after pill or face legal backlash – despite a state statute that exempts pharmacists from participating in practices contrary to their religious views.
Williams said that Target forced pharmacists state-wide to sign a “conscience clause” last fall agreeing to dispense the abortifacient or refer to another pharmacy that does. She wrote the chain a letter December 1 telling them she could not sign the clause. “We had to make sure it was in stock, and even give directions to the store,” she said. “I would be a participant.”
Williams is losing her job even though the Target store where she worked has never stocked Plan B.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Walgreens Disciplines Four Pharmacists for Refusing Abortifacient Morning-After Pill Prescriptions
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/dec/05120102.html
She lost her job because she refused to do it.
"this is no different at all."
I beg to differ. The pharmacist is setting herself up as judge and jury on matters she's making assumptions about.
Now I'm done.
Interesting that there have been a number of "conscientious objector" pharmacists in the same small geographic area lately. A planned campaign, apparently.
Physicians who don't want to perform abortions simply work at places abortions aren't performed. If a place suddenly starts performing abortions (which doesn't happen these days anyway), they move on. There are many pharmacies that don't provide the morning-after pill and most pharmacies are badly in need of pharmacists.
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
This is not about supporting or not supporting a corporation. This is about dispensing drugs which are designed to end a human life.
But I guess you see the anti-abortion/pro-life movement as just some stupid religious belief.
My pharmacist failed to fill a perscription my Doctor had written for me. He interpreted the FDA warning saying that this med shouldn't be taken for more than 5 days to mean that it could only be filled once in a person's lifetime, and that I can never get a refill.
Why isn't the left here to string this guy up? Is it because I am not trying to end a pregnancy?
Shame on Target. Another reason not to shop there...
This drug is designed for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to end life -- I fail to see how her unwillingness to dispense it can be based upon any spurious assumptions.
People who are pro-life don't want to contribute to the death of an innocent baby. Her religious views can be respected if someone else who has no objection fills the prescription. It should not be a firing offense.
From yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch report on the story:
"Said Williams: “I’m not in judgment of anyone. I want my right not to fill something, much as they have their right to get Plan B filled.”
So she DOES admit women have the right to the prescription.
From the article:
"Williams is losing her job even though the Target store where she worked has never stocked Plan B."
She couldn't have filled the prescription in any case. The proper response for her to give to the customer was:
"I'm sorry. This Target pharmacy doesn't stock that medication. You'll have to get it from another pharmacy, I'm afraid."
Apparently, that wasn't her response to the customer. I'm thinking she gave the customer a little lecture, instead. I'd have fired her, too.
So much for freedom of conscience. This isn't necessarily a religious debate. There are those that aren't believers but think this is murder.
The facts aren't the same, the principle is. It's a pharmacist's job to dispense prescriptions. Period. While I appreciate their concerns, it's not their job to force their beliefs on others.
Depends on where the physician gets a job. If he's working for Planned Parenthood then he's probably going to be required to perform abortions, if he doesn't like it he probably shouldn't get a job with Planned Parenthood.
Because that would have been a lie?
She objected on moral grounds.
It's not a lie. That Target doesn't carry Plan B.
Agreed. It's like a stripper complaining that nudity offends her.
No, it's about each job having a description and if you won't do the job described then you should get a different job.
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