A recent survey of pharmacists in the United States has revealed that as many as 39 percent of respondents are against state laws that would require them to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception known as the morning-after pill.
This rather surprising finding comes only days after four Illinois pharmacists were suspended without pay by their employer Walgreen Co. for refusing to fill such prescriptions.
According to reports, their refusals, were apparently due to moral or religious objections, which contravenes a state rule imposed in April that requires pharmacies selling FDA-approved contraceptives to fill prescriptions for emergency birth control.
According to a spokesperson,the Walgreen policy, is that pharmacists can refuse to prescribe agents that violate their moral beliefs, except where state law prohibits, provided that they take steps to have the prescription filled elsewhere.
It seems that attorneys for the pharmacists are considering legal action if Walgreen does not reconsider its stance against their clients.
In the current survey, HCD Research, a New Jersey-based marketing and communications research company, surveyed a nationally representative sample of 859 pharmacists.
Glenn R. Kessler, managing partner of HCD Research, says sixty-nine percent of pharmacists said they should have the authority to refuse filling prescriptions for emergency contraception.
Kessler they have been daunted by the response which has never happened before.