To think this is a bit off....But not sure why.

[Shortstuff08]

So, I had to go get the morning after pill today. I went to a high street retailer that has a pharmacy. They had a sign saying they provided it.

The woman behind the counter asked me if I was wanting the free one or to pay for it. I said that I assumed I would have to pay. She went away and came back and said they didn't provide the free one. I said that was fine and she told me that the Pharmacist would come our to see me in minute. A man approached me and asked if I was waiting. He then told me that he 'couldn't' provide MAP. I asked if they didn't have any and he said 'no, we do, but I can't give it'

Fair enough, I went to another high street store. Spoke to the Pharmacist there, she asked me a few questions about medication I am on and the gave me it. I said I was relieved she could as the other store couldn't give me it and thought I would spend all day looking for somewhere. She asked me where I had been and then said that some pharmacists, don't give it out due to religious purposes.

I don't think that's ok. If it's your job, how can you refuse on religious grounds? Or are some Pharmacists not able to administer it? Or am I being an arse in thinking that you should just do your job?

Funny how their conscience allows them to take a wage without carrying out the role to its fullest course.

That depends on whether their role requires them to do this thing. This is something that isn't clear as there seems to be "opt-in" paperwork for MAP. On the face of it, it seems you can't be simultaneously obliged to do something all the time in a profession and have paperwork without which you can practice but not do that something.

Generally, professions get to exercise freedom of conscience either when they certify/contract or when working. It doesn't seem clear which is the case for pharmacists, so the "whole job" may not mean they have to administer MAP.

I don't know much about pharmacists, but this would be quite a direct breach of my profession's code(s) of conduct and conventions in any case - i would be expected to get sacked first. So it may not be the same for everyone.

A Pharamacist not giving the MAP due to their own personal opinion is a breech of their code of conduct.

So what is your point? If giving personal opinion, not based on professional opinion is part of your job, that's that's different. It's not part of a pharmacies job.

My job is business improvment. I have improved business where the improvment has been that they have too many staff and not enough work.

Morally, do I like having to direct the cinsulatation? No I hate it. But without it the business would go under in a matter of months. Redundancy is legal, if done correctly. I still don't like being involved. I don't refuse to get involved because it makes me feel responsible for some people losing their jobs. I look at the bigger picture. I am saving some other people's jobs in the long.

Like a religious Pharamacist should realise they could be preventing an unwanted pregnancy or abortion by giving the MAP. Or simply just letting a woman, exercise her right to choice. That's their bigger picture.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2017/01/pharmacy-rules-to-emphasise-patients-rights-thanks-to-secular-medical-campaigners

Here is a link to the current guidance

*A Pharamacist not giving the MAP due to their own personal opinionisa breech of their code of conduct.

So what is your point? If giving personal opinion, not based on professional opinion is part of your job, that's that's different. It's not part of a pharmacies job.

My job is business improvment. I have improved business where the improvment has been that they have too many staff and not enough work.*

I was just reading the one for England where you may be right, but the language is sufficiently ambiguous to leave room for doubt if (as has been suggested) there is paperwork needed or it is not stocked etc.

I found lots of interesting reading about this online in looking for guidance on the interpretation, and it does seem increasingly to be the case that compulsion is seen as the answer.

I also found this interesting, it is about the US but the topic is not discussed in a super US-specific way. Comes to an unexpected conclusion but not an irrational one, leaving some room for both MAP users and pharmacists to almost entirely get their respective liberties, at the cost of fairly minimal inconvenience: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03605310500421389?src=recsys&

My profession is not one of blathering my opinion, by the way :P For demographic reasons it would be too "outing" for me to talk about it on MN, but it requires ethical behaviour (yes, even if that is based in religion!) because of high stakes involved.

That article is interesting. But flawed.

it is no great hardship to be rejected by one pharmacist.

This is talking about a pharmacy in a built up area. It's easy for women to go elsewhere. Except it's not. It is for me.

I can't believe so many people can not grasp it.

Hi shortstuff08,

I'm just wondering if you got a response from the pharmacy again?

Well done op for not letting this go.

Limaloma1 not yet. I sent an email chasing a response. I was going to phone today but it's been busy.

Dp found he is getting made redundant, which is a shitter. Good job I took the morning after pill and didn't risk it. Pregnancy on top of this would be to stressful.

Ignoramusgiganticus thank you.

I will update when I get a response. X

Keep going with your complaint.

It's ridiculous that a pharmacist can refuse to issue medical treatment because of their religious belief, even more so when a hotelier or baker cannot discriminate for this reason. (I'm arguing against discrimination in all these cases, if that's unclear.)

I have had a response which says that all he has to do is direct to nearest Pharamacy. They haven't responded to all my questions. Nor have they addressed what happens when women can not go somewhere else. I have given several examples.

It's odd, because it's a big street store predominantly aimed at women. But seem so unaware of women's issues.

I have replied reiterating all the points and asked for an answer to each of them. I will let you all know what I get back.