analog

Morality and religion trying to dictate state law again, wonderful.

Just to preface my post with a bit of info- my post is largely not opinion. I worked in a pharmacy (walgreens) for two years, so take that as you will.

The only time a pharmacist should refuse a script is if he/she believes it is in the best interest of the patient to not take the drug due to possible health risks. The law allows them that. If the REASON, however, is because they feel it's "morally" wrong, not wrong in a way that might cause health issues, then that is not in keeping with their purpose and obligation as a pharmacist, and **should not be protected**. **is my my opinion.

If they refuse to fill a prescription, they are required by law and their Pharmacist's license to give the script back and tell the patient where another pharmacy is, or, give it to a pharmacist on staff that will fill it. Instances where it is rejected based on direct threat of health issues are a separate story, but we're not discussing those right now.

Both fortunately AND unfortunately, there is no law that says a pharmacist HAS to fill a prescription.

I say fortunate because there are many cases where a pharmacist will refuse the script based on usage of the drug, and that he/she feels there is a chemical dependency that the patient's doctor needs to evaluate. Also, where the patient demands the medicine where it would pose an immediate health risk- i.e., giving viagra to a person on lithium, or steroid inhalers for asthma sufferers already taking MAOI's. Deadly combinations, both of them.

I say UNfortunate because there are backwater places where too many pharmacists hold the same "moral" issue with certain medications (birth control being a big issue as well) and there is simply no nearby place to get the medicine. Sure, you may "live in a small town" and have to go to "the city" to get some things, but what happens when you live in the "heartland of moral america" where every pharmacist within an hour's drive radius of you are all on the same moral agenda? These places very much exist, and it is a big issue in these places.

And I love analogies, but not every analogy you can reasonably come up with can possibly have anything to do with such a highly specialized field of medicine in such a controlled working environment. They are hired to do one job, one area of specialty, which is highly regulated and scrutinized to the "nth" degree.