To think if a pharmacist refuses to dispense medication due to religious or personal beliefs

[Soubriquet]

They shouldn’t be a pharmacist.

I mean, the morning after pill is healthcare. Your personal or religious beliefs shouldn’t come into this.

I take your first point; but with the second, we're back in the circle of faith-based beliefs that are sincerely held by some but very much not by others - which is where this question all began.

I actually think it’s different. A gynaecologist isn’t front line; you book in to see your GP or go to a family planning/sexual health clinic/call up your local NHS abortion self referral number. You’ll be referred to the correct service and to a doctor who will perform an abortion or give the abortion pill. So, any gynaecologists who don’t do abortion won’t even factor in; they won’t be asked, they won’t be standing in front of the patient saying, “no, go somewhere else,” because the patient won’t end up in front of them.

It is a much bigger problem with front line staff when there isn’t an easily accepted alternative. Small towns or villages with one pharmacists and no alternative for miles is a very different situation.

They can refuse;
GPhC guidelines which allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense medication that goes against their personal beliefs if there is adequate alternative care available for the patient.

Nurses can also refuse to participate in terminations

The detail is different. The principle is exactly the same. I’m very happy that people are able to make moral choices in their professional lives. The alternative is very dangerous.

It doesn't go anywhere.

All HCPs can opt out of the provision of contraceptive services or abortion services. They cannot opt out of anything else. This is long-standing explicit policy and there has been no "creep"

But they must signpost where they are available, and the local trust must make sure that services are available across its patch.

It's not as if there's a shortage of pharmacies

Three in four pharmacies experiencing a pharmacist shortage, MPs told - The Pharmacist

Plus about 160 pharmacies have closed completely in the last 2 years.

Yeah- I don’t agree you are a man if you say you are and get a certificate from the government, but as far as I understand it legally you are therefore someone who is a man for terms of legal protection can be given the map.

That’s true, but I’m talking about when they do decide to stock it.

Seems like there is a pharmacist thread every week. Would be really useful if the op actually came back to the thread and explained if thos is something he or she has actually experienced or if it's a hypothetical plucked out of nowhere!

Exactly this. Not every women is a well resourced, sharp elbowed and confident MNer.

The women who suffer in these situations are often those already at the bottom of the health heap. I've also known cases where women could not access MAP or an abortion due to personal religious beliefs overriding women's right to healthcare.

In the case of MAP I presume that those pharmacists with deeply held forced birther. religious beliefs also turn down payment for contraceptive prescriptions since women seeking MAP are not pregnant - they are trying to prevent a pregnancy occurring.

Most people of they refused to do part of their job they would be fired. I know I would. And it's not even something as important and time sensitive as giving someone the MAP.

I admit that it may not be feasible to change the rules due to a shortage of phaemacists, but the idea that someone can refuse to give someone medicine that they maybe can't practically get elsewhere in time, but knowing that they won't lose their job because it might leave a rural are without a pharmacy is horrible.

You think your employer should own you? Well, I’m delighted that we ditched that kind of thinking a century ago.

There is no pregnancy to end. The MAP is a contraception, not an abortion medication.

If you have sex whilst ovulating without a condom, you may end up pregnant. Without the pill or the implant or an IUD, you may end up pregnant. Would a pharmacist refuse to sell other contraceptives? No. They get in the way and prevent a pregnancy occurring, which would likely occur without them. Exactly the same as the MAP. You’ve had unprotected sex during ovulation so you take the MAP to prevent a pregnancy occurring, same as any other contraception.

I don’t think you understand how pharmacies work & that the vast majority of pharmacies are actually private businesses (exceptions usually being hospital pharmacies).

From Community Pharmacy England:

“A pharmacy can be registered only by a pharmacist, a partnership consisting entirely of pharmacists, or by a body corporate (usually a limited company). In the case of a body corporate, a superintendent pharmacist must be appointed, to take responsibility for the way in which the company carries out its professional pharmaceutical activities.”

So when we are talking about independent pharmacies & not the large chains (which is what you usually find in the rural locations people are talking about), the pharmacy is likely to be owned by the pharmacist themselves i.e. it is their business so no, you can’t just move them elsewhere & neither are they under any obligation to provide an OPTIONAL service if they don’t want to.

Let’s say a particular pharmacist is not the owner though but an employee instead & can somehow be moved, you’re assuming that there will be another pharmacist to take their place but in the arse end of nowhere, that’s extremely unlikely. What’s more likely is the pharmacy will have to close down as you can dispense without a qualified pharmacist on the premises & then no one gets their medications; you are thereby increasing the risk for a larger number of people not mitigating it & women are still not getting the MAP they need.

The current shortage of pharmacists mean you’re lucky if you can find one at all in certain areas, never mind having a large list to choose from.

This is such a bullshit comparison design to close down discussion on women's rights to health care.

Women are not being denied health care by the existence of women only spaces. Nor are men.

In terms of unevidenced religious belief - that would be gender ideology, not developmental biology.

But apparently its ok for the employer to deny women customers basic reproductive health care if they don't feel like it?

This blithe assumption that "other pharmacies are available" is simply not realistic and as ever its the most vulnerable women who can't exercise the option to "simply" travel to the next town.

My friend is a pharmacist and she said she can and does legally refuse to sell the morning after pill as it’s against her religion. I’ve had the same argument with her.

Pharmacists can indeed opt out of all contraception services if they wish

But apparently it’s ok for the employer to deny women customers basic reproductive health care if they don't feel like it?

Yes it is. And there’s a legal exemption allowing them to do so. Would you be willing to work for an employer who compelled you to do something that went against your moral code?

@supercalifragilistic123

Termination/abortion care is as far as I know the only area of healthcare you are able to opt out of. I am OK with that because I'd rather not have somebody doing something they don't feel comfortable with.

But the morning after pill isn’t termination or abortion care. It’s preventing an unwanted pregnancy, therefore avoiding a possible abortion, so surely that is something they would support/encourage?

What about other forms of contraception? Are they against her religion? I assume she doesn’t use any contraception?

If your job might make you do something that's against your moral code then don't take that job. Would it be okay for a vegetarian to work in a supermarket and not sell meat? Or someone who thinks drinking alcohol is wrong to get a job as a waiter and refuse to serve wine? Although these cases aren't quite as bad as they don't involve denying health care which may have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of the woman involved.

Yes… but a lot don’t. My time is fine but the next town over has a pharmacy who won’t sell the MAP. They sell condoms though.

Pharmacies don’t have to offer emergency contraception, it is optional . Our local pharmacy has a sign up stating what services they offer. They should all do this really, saves awkward conversations all round.

@veilstone if your contract said you can optionally cover a shift every Saturday morning. Are you then refusing to do your job if you choose not to work Saturdays??
This is what map etc is equivalent to for pharmacists.