Can a Pharmacist Refuse To Dispense Birth Control?

[Karin]

Katie1723:

You really want the last word in this one, don’t you? I suspect no matter what I say, you’ll come back with an answer.

Actually I did not want the last word…but I had to attempt to correct the assumption you stated.

Katie1723:

I don’t suspect that a pharmacist would jeopardize their job for pills…no matter what they felt.~

Actually there have been instances where a pharmacist did just that, refused to fill a prescription. And I say good for them…they stood up for what they thought was RIGHT!

Katie1723:

It is a shame however that their are instances where a person can not stand up for their convictions at the risk of losing something valuable.

Totally agree!!

Katie1723:

It would be wonderful if they could stand up for what they believe and not risk anything, don’t you think??

Yup and in most instances they can…from what I have seen most LARGE chain pharmacies allow a pharmacist to refuse to fill an RX on moral grounds with out getting fired. Would be nice though if did not matter where you worked and you where afforded the same luxury (refusing to fill an RX due to moral reasons)

 

[Trelow]

CARose:

If anyone here has been placed on the pill for medical reasons, I’d like to suggest they contact the Pope Paul VI Institute for a consultation. They may be surprised that by taking a holeistic approach to their difficulties they can resolve their problems without resorting to an abortafacient like the pill.

God Bless,

CARose

Amen.

lazy, inefficient medicine the pill is.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

Karin:

…how does this help solve the problem (dispensing ABC)? The first pharmacist was right (morally) if he or she believes in not selling it (ABC).

As to the OB/GYN refusing to do an abortion…well the woman wanting it will just go to another OB/GYN and get it done.

Yes, we cannot force people against their will from committing sin. However, we don’t have to participate in their sin, and in fact, we are bound not to do so. Part of the problem is their sin. The other part we have control over is whether or not we will deliberately aid them in acting contrary to God’s will.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

MikeinSD:

No one had discussed the applying the birth control ban to non-Catholics. My understanding is that Catholic laws do not pertain to non-Catholics. Let me know if I’m incorrect. But a non-Catholic wants to purchase rubbers (men use birth control too) or birth control pills, he or she is not bound by the laws of a religion that they don’t belong.

Divine law applies to all human beings. Contraception is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. Abortion is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. As such, where civil law contradicts Divine law we ought to be working to change civil law.

 

[D_Quintero]

here is something that could help
# Discontinuing Contraceptives, One Pharmacist’s Insights by Lloyd J. Duplantis, Jr., P.D.

 

[Karin]

itsjustdave1988:
Yes, we cannot force people against their will from committing sin. However, we don’t have to participate in their sin, and in fact, we are bound not to do so. Part of the problem is their sin. The other part we have control over is whether or not we will deliberately aid them in acting contrary to God’s will. **Yes we can all agree on these points…and I have agreed with these points in numerous posts **

 

[MikeinSD]

itsjustdave1988:

Divine law applies to all human beings. Contraception is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. Abortion is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. As such, where civil law contradicts Divine law we ought to be working to change civil law.

Other faiths believe in their own divine laws which all humans are held accountable. Should civil law also be changed to accomodate other religions’ laws as well? Shopping on Saturday is a violation of the Sabbath. Should all stores be closed? Going to mosque in Fridays is a requirement. Shouldn’t the government construct mosques in every neighborhood to meet this requirement? Kali, the Hindu goddess of chaos, demands periodic sacrifices during the year. Why aren’t homes required to a shrine to her?

 

[Karin]

itsjustdave1988:

Divine law applies to all human beings. Contraception is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. Abortion is immoral for Catholics and non-Catholics. As such, where civil law contradicts Divine law we ought to be working to change civil law.

Good points…but then is what is good for another faith good for a Catholic?
Let me give an example…Jews say abortion is ok to a certain point…who’s law applies, Catholic or Jew? Both are Divine Law…no??

Abortion

Jewish law*** not only permits, but in some circumstances requires abortion.** Where the mother’s life is in jeopardy because of the unborn child, abortion is mandatory. **An unborn child has the status of “potential human life” until the majority of the body has emerged from the mother. Potential human life is valuable, and may not be terminated casually, but it does not have as much value as a life in existence. The Talmud makes no bones about this: it says quite bluntly that if the fetus threatens the life of the mother, you cut it up within her body and remove it limb by limb if necessary, because its life is not as valuable as hers. But once the greater part of the body has emerged, you cannot take its life to save the mother’s, because you cannot choose between one human life and another. *
jewfaq.org/sex.htm#Abortion

 

[Coder]

Karin:

Good points…but then is what is good for another faith good for a Catholic?
Let me give an example…Jews say abortion is ok to a certain point…who’s law applies, Catholic or Jew? Both are Divine Law…no??

Abortion

Jewish law*** not only permits, but in some circumstances requires abortion.*** Where the mother’s life is in jeopardy because of the unborn child, abortion is mandatory. An unborn child has the status of “potential human life” until the majority of the body has emerged from the mother. Potential human life is valuable, and may not be terminated casually, but it does not have as much value as a life in existence. The Talmud makes no bones about this: it says quite bluntly that if the fetus threatens the life of the mother, you cut it up within her body and remove it limb by limb if necessary, because its life is not as valuable as hers.** But once the greater part of the body has emerged, you cannot take its life to save the mother’s, because you cannot choose between one human life and another.
jewfaq.org/sex.htm#Abortion

Jesus says: “Anyone who loves the truth listens to me.’”

We know that an unborn child is equally as human as the rest of us. No human law: civil, religious, or other is above that truth.

 

[Karin]

Coder:

Jesus says: “Anyone who loves the truth listens to me.’” .

** So what does that mean for the Jews???**

---

Coder:

We know that an unborn child is equally as human as the rest of us. No human law: civil, religious, or other is above that truth.

You may know that and I may know that …but from this post I see most Jews would have an issue with this. I would think that they would not want Catholic views/laws etc. to infringe on what they believe is their right.

 

[Coder]

** So what does that mean for the Jews???**

You may know that and I may know that …but from this post I see most Jews would have an issue with this.

God’s Word to all humans teaches us that that an unborn child is equally as human as the rest of us. No human law: civil, religious, or other is above that truth.

I would think that they would not want Catholic views/laws etc. to infringe on what they believe is their right.

What right does any religion have to make a law that denies (worse than infringing) a human being her/his right to life?

Similarly, no one has a right to force another to participate in this.

 

[Karin]

Coder:

God’s Word to all humans teaches us that that an unborn child is equally as human as the rest of us. No human law: civil, religious, or other is above that truth…

Yes and God’s law is in the OT or the Talmud…that is from the Jews.
And once again who’s God gets put above everyone elses?

Coder:

Similarly, no one has a right to force another to participate in this.

No one…and that is not the issue. If you want something there is always someone that will offer it…be ABC or Abortions or Illegal Drugs or anything else.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Katie1723:

You really want the last word in this one, don’t you? I suspect no matter what I say, you’ll come back with an answer.That’s ok. I don’t suspect that a pharmacist would jeopardize their job for pills…no matter what they felt. It is a shame however that their are instances where a person can not stand up for their convictions at the risk of losing something valuable. It would be wonderful if they could stand up for what they believe and not risk anything, don’t you think??
~ Kathy ~

How may people here realize there is pressure – often in the form of laws – on Catholics to abandon the teachings of the Church?

There are indeed some state laws that require pharmacists to dispense both birth control and abortion pills. There are laws either in effect or pending in some states to require OB/GYNs to perform at least one abortion in order to be certified.

We are facing a time of martyrdom in this country. Can we not at least give moral support to those who are facing the persecution?

 

[Karin]

vern humphrey:

How may people here realize there is pressure – often in the form of laws – on Catholics to abandon the teachings of the Church?

There are indeed some state laws that require pharmacists to dispense both birth control and abortion pills. There are laws either in effect or pending in some states to require OB/GYNs to perform at least one abortion in order to be certified.

We are facing a time of martyrdom in this country. Can we not at least give moral support to those who are facing the persecution?

Vern,
I do not think that any Catholic Doctor or Pharmacist should have to fill an RX or preform and abortion based on Moral Ground!
I guess the laws do need to be changed so these peoples moral values are not circumvented !

 

[vern_humphrey]

Karin:

Vern,
I do not think that any Catholic Doctor or Pharmacist should have to fill an RX or preform and abortion based on Moral Ground!
I guess the laws do need to be changed so these peoples moral values are not circumvented !

And it’s pointless saying “They should get together and protest.”

WE should get together and protest, instead of fruitlessly debating this issue. Because there is no debate – the Church’s position is chrystal clear.

 

[Coder]

Yes and God’s law is in the OT or the Talmud…that is from the Jews.
And once again who’s God gets put above everyone elses?

Hi Karin,

We need to spread the good news to all humans. This is part of our work to do. We can work to defend human life and teach others the truth. This is our mission and yes, there is still work to do. We all must learn to love all humans and teach others gently and kindly. We cannot compromise however, when it comes to killing innocent life.

It is not that we must learn to see things from others perspective. Jesus teaches us that all humans must see things from God’s perspective.

 

[Karin]

Coder:

Hi Karin,

We need to spread the good news to all humans. This is part of our work to do. We can work to defend human life and teach others the truth. This is our mission and yes, there is still work to do. We all must learn to love all humans and teach others gently and kindly. We cannot compromise however, when it comes to killing innocent life.

It is not that we must learn to see things from others perspective. Jesus teaches us that all humans must see things from God’s perspective.

And once again who’s God?

 

[Forest-Pine]

Karin:
And once again who’s God?

Did you mean to say Who Is God? Or Whose God? Because I find either to be of merit, but to both have the same response.

Our understanding of him does not change who he is. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of our Fathers. The Lord of All. The Alpha and the Omega. He is Truth.

The modern day Jews do not have the fullness of truth about the Lord because they purposefully and intentionally deleted vast amounts of work which they previously held as scriptural in order to prove that Jesus was not the Messiah. (Why do they celebrate Hanukah? Their sacred texts do not refer to it, but ours do.) In other words, ancient Jews did have the most knowledge possible about the Lord for their day. However, it is clear within even their own texts that they did not have the fullness of truth. (Why did Moses allow divorce and remarriage? Not because it was of God, but because of the hardness of the Jews’ hearts.) Therefore, we must act today with the truth that we know today. Others’ rejection of it does not make it any less True. Just unpopular.

So Who Is God? He is Truth.

Whose God? He does not belong to us, but the other way around. Therefore, the selective understanding of him by others does not abrogate our responsibility to live in the fullness of truth.

 

[Karin]

Forest-Pine:

Did you mean to say Who Is God? Or Whose God? Because I find either to be of merit, but to both have the same response.

Our understanding of him does not change who he is. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of our Fathers. The Lord of All. The Alpha and the Omega. He is Truth.

The modern day Jews do not have the fullness of truth about the Lord because they purposefully and intentionally deleted vast amounts of work which they previously held as scriptural in order to prove that Jesus was not the Messiah. (Why do they celebrate Hanukah? Their sacred texts do not refer to it, but ours do.) In other words, ancient Jews did have the most knowledge possible about the Lord for their day. However, it is clear within even their own texts that they did not have the fullness of truth. (Why did Moses allow divorce and remarriage? Not because it was of God, but because of the hardness of the Jews’ hearts.) Therefore, we must act today with the truth that we know today. Others’ rejection of it does not make it any less True. Just unpopular.

So Who Is God? He is Truth.

Whose God? He does not belong to us, but the other way around. Therefore, the selective understanding of him by others does not abrogate our responsibility to live in the fullness of truth.

Sorry I have major spelling issues today…it should WHOSE GOD?
But not all faiths believe in the Catholic version of God…so what happens to them…these are the folks I was thinking about.
As to whether todays Jews have an understanding of God …I will not touch that one**.**

 

[Listener]

I could understand refusing to dispense a prescription if the doctor had prescribed a pill for the purpose of causing an abortion. I would also think that a pharmacist who works in the state of Oregon should have the right to refuse to dispense a suicide drug.

However, I think that a pharmacist would be very judgmental if he/she refused to fill a prescription for oral contraceptives. People on these threads always say that birth control pills can cause an early abortion because the fertilized egg can’t implant.

Well, in the first place, there is something that these people didn’t tell you. The fact is that a very large percentage of fertilized eggs don’t manage to attach to the uterus when a woman is NOT on the pill. It is also true that the pill normally works by preventing ovulation. If break-through ovulation does occur, it is also possible for a baby to be born. I have heard of many cases where this has actually happened. Also, if you are aware of ovulation when you are practicing NFP, why on earth wouldn’t you be aware of breakthrough ovulation if it happened while on the pill?

Let’s say that a woman is given a prescription for birth control pills because she has endometriosis. I would venture to guess that the environment for the implantation of a fertilized egg will be much worse when she is NOT on the pill than when she is on the pill. At least, if she is on the pill, there is a high probability that ovulation will be prevented, meaning that there could be no early abortion because there was no egg available to be fertilized.

Many women have medical problems with their reproductive systems. For some, it is a choice between the pill or a hysterectomy.

The Catholic Church approves of the use of the pill for medical reasons. A woman has absolutely no knowledge of whether or not an egg is being fertilized, and she has no control over whether a fertilized egg implants in her uterus or not. If a pharmacist refuses to fill prescriptions for the pill, he is not doing his job, and he is being more Catholic than the Pope.