Morality and the Pill Dispenser

From extra-special Korrespondent Kat:

It seems it’s a growing trend for pharmacists in America to refuse to fill prescriptions that they morally oppose: the “morning after” pill being the largest contender in this dilemma.

The question is: What gives the pharamcist the right to impose his morality on patients? A doctor prescribed the pill. The pharmacist job isn’t to discuss the ramifications of this pill on the patient’s soul. The pharamcist’s job is to walk his ass from the counter to the pills, count, and bring them back. He’s a little pill delivery man. Nothing more.

Since when did the delivery man get to decide which packages he’d prefer to deliver? The UPS man isn’t tossing out boxes of dildos and vibrators being shipping to the nearest Priscilla’s because he finds it offensive. The pizza delivery man doesn’t get to refuse to drop off the Canadian bacon pies because he’s Jewish and refuses to have a pork product in his vehicle. And, if either tried to do so, they would be summarily fired, and for good reason.

The job a pharmacist does is simple. Complicating it by preaching to the scared and confused women who are desperate or violated and need that “morning after” pill seems especially cruel – especially given this “morality” doesn’t seem to apply to any other area of their position. It only seems to apply to sexuality – and only female sexuality, at that.

Are they refusing to fill Viagra because it promotes lust? No. Are they refusing to work in a drug store that sells condoms, personal lubricant or enemas (which, as we know, are often used to “clear the way” for anal sex)? No.

And, on other fronts: Are they personally limiting the number of addictive prescription painkillers someone can have? Are they watching their flock like a hawk to make sure no one is using what they distribute to hurt themselves or others? No, and they would be the first to say they are not personally responsible for what people do with their prescriptions, that they can’t be held accountable for poisonings (accidental or direct) or addictions. But, if they are going to pick up and carry a moral “cross” for one personal cause, why allow them to draw their own lines in the sand?

If they want personal responsibility for my vagina and my sexual morality, they need to be responsible for the whole kit and caboodle. The whole body and soul. Make sure I take all my antibotics and complete the process. Make sure I’m not abusing the steroids you gave me for allergies. Make sure I’m not improperly ingesting my addictive pain medication.

And, if they don’t want to do all of that, then they need to drop this ridiculous and invasive policy on “morning after” pills. A pharmacist is not required to counsel on morality or sin. Let’s leave that to the preachers, priests and Planned Parenthood, where it belongs.

K.

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