2009 Senate Bill 667: Ban pharmacist “conscientious objector” option

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Introduced by Sen. Deborah Cherry (D) on June 25, 2009, to prohibit a pharmacist from refusing to dispense or transfer a prescription based solely on his or her ethical, moral, or religious beliefs (such as prescriptions for abortion-inducing “morning after” pills like RU 486).
- Referred to the Senate Health Policy Committee on June 25, 2009.

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1) Re: 2009 Senate Bill 667 (Ban pharmacist “conscientious objector” option ) by gypsy on July 3, 2009

[quote user="FreeSpeaker"] Refusal to dispense legal and legally prescribed medications properly should result in revocation of that license.[/quote]

I agree with that statement entirely, and support passage of this bill. Pharmacist dispense legally prescriped drugs, not moral judgement.

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2) Re: 2009 Senate Bill 667 (Ban pharmacist “conscientious objector” option ) by FreeSpeaker on July 3, 2009

A license to dispense legal medication legally prescribed by doctors is not and should never be a license to impose one's personal beliefs (religious or other) on pharmacy customers. It should be remembered that only licensed pharmacists who have voluntarily chosen their profession may dispense prescribed medications. Refusal to dispense legal and legally prescribed medications properly should result in revocation of that license.

This bill represents sound public policy even though it stops short of requiring license revocation for refusal to dispense on moral-ethical-religious grounds. (The proposal does make revocation a possibility, though.) Importantly, it leaves wiggle room for pharmacists to privately devise workarounds that allow for individual pharmacists to exercise their individual consciences while ensuring the public is properly served by the filling of all legal prescriptions.

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3) Re: 2009 Senate Bill 667 (Ban pharmacist “conscientious objector” option ) by changeagent on July 2, 2009

[quote user="FreeSpeaker"]In this case, pharmacists are licensed by the state to dispense medication legally prescribed by doctors.[/quote]

So I guess that means a license from the state gives them the right to force you to do their will, regardless of your moral objections. One more reason government licensing sucks.

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