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Plight of a Pharmacist

  /   Wednesday January 14, 2004  

Now, it’s time to shamelessly steal a link from Goodform. I do this because this one could affect me one day. It seems a pharmacist is scheduled for a “hearing” because he refused to dispense a contraceptive. I am assuming he is going before his state board, but the post is not that clear.

Even without the moral issue, the case is still disturbing. There are a lot of other reasons why a pharmacist shouldn’t fill a prescription. For example, sometimes we note a dangerous drug interaction. We call the doctor. The doctor may explain his reasoning, and then we document and fill the prescription. Those are usually good doctors. Others just say “Do what I say, pill pusher!!” That’s usually a sign that the pharmacist should not fill the prescription. Contrary to what some doctors believe, we can be held just a liable, if not more, for filling the prescription. A ruling that says that a pharmacist doesn’t have the right to refuse to fill a prescription would be a great blow to patient safety.

Let’s also not forget that double-standard that says that patients should get whatever they want but health care providers have no freedom of conscience. Please pray for this pharmacist.

Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized

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