According to an email from Planned Parenthood today, their recent survey of the top 50 national pharmacy chains found that in ten states pharmacists have refused to fill valid, legal prescriptions for birth control, including emergency contraception. You can view their findings
here:
Thumbs Down: Rite Aid, Walmart, and Winn-Dixie.
Thumbs Up: Costco, K-Mart, Harris Teeter, Price Chopper.
Unknown policies: Duane Reade, Giant Food, Piggly Wiggly, Safeway and Target. Planned Parenthood asks you to tell these pharmacy chains that women want to know their policy on pharmacist refusals.
Planned Parenthood's current policy:
Pharmacists have a duty to dispense drugs or devices lawfully prescribed by a physician.
We applaud pharmacies that will not employ individuals who are not prepared to serve all of their customers.
PPFA would not oppose a policy that permits accommodation of a pharmacist's genuinely held religious beliefs, provided that the accommodation does not cause the patient delay or untold barriers to securing service.
We do not support any policy that would accommodate a pharmacist's refusal by placing the burden on the patient to travel to another pharmacy for services or wait an undue amount of time.
Planned Parenthood says further:
We intend to roll back this rising tide of extremism and ignorance. We will not allow women to live in fear - certainly not of their neighborhood pharmacists.
Planned Parenthood is fighting to ensure access to birth control, respect for medical privacy, and the right to choose. Check their lively website which deals with many Kossack issues here: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/webzine/