Should Catholic hospital run Walgreens clinics? ACLU has concerns

[_Abyssinia]

SEATTLE — Nineteen groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union have sent a letter to the Walgreens drug store chain expressing concerns about the company’s plans to have a Catholic hospital run in-store health clinics in Washington state and Oregon.

In a letter sent to Walgreens on Monday, the organizations asked if the clinics would allow access to contraception, abortion drugs and prescriptions to aid in dying, as allowed by Death with Dignity laws.

The letter notes that other health organizations that have partnered with Providence Health stopped providing abortions after affiliating with the Catholic hospital.

oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/12/should_catholic_hospital_run_w.html

 

[MiserableSinner]

Not if the law says we have to help people murder unborn children and help them with suicide.

 

[Antegin]

If Walgreen’s services are in line with Catholic teaching, why not? Providence Health complied.

 

[mafh]

The contraception part I can understand, but would a Walgreen clinic ever be in a position to have anything to do with abortions or end of life issues? My impression has been that this sort of clinic is for routine vaccinations and minor ailments. Or, do I misunderstand the nature of these clinics?

 

[JimG]

Maybe the ACLU wishes to ensure that every clinic will help people to kill babies and themselves, but surely Walgreens is permitted to have its own view.

 

[J_Peterson]

The contraception part I can understand, but would a Walgreen clinic ever be in a position to have anything to do with abortions or end of life issues? My impression has been that this sort of clinic is for routine vaccinations and minor ailments. Or, do I misunderstand the nature of these clinics?

That’s a good point. With the suicide pill, I thought you needed to have mental health evaluations before it will be prescribed. I’m sure they don’t provide that. Even with contraception, in MA you are supposed to get a gyno exam once a year (I think?). Not sure about other states. You would go to your doctor or a planned parenthood for that, not one of these places.

I’m assuming this is only the clinics and not the pharmacy which I assume would carry all of the things that the ACLU are so fond of.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I am assuming that Walgreen’s is actually renting the space and providing a service for those that need to get prescription filled as they need and it also frees up the hospital from a very expensive service that they may not be able pay for. As for contraceptives I doubt any of the aged, sick, elderly or injured would be in dire need of the pill. Also, a pharmacy is required by law to fill a legal prescription. I think there is more to consider than just what the political groups says.

 

[mikekle]

Also, a pharmacy is required by law to fill a legal prescription. I think there is more to consider than just what the political groups says.

Actually, here in KY at least, pharmacists have some leeway in filling scripts, after the painkiller law in 2012, they can now refuse legal scripts if they ‘feel’ something is not quite right. Im not sure, but maybe they could just feel someone looks suspicious and suspect they may be selling or diverting the medicine…of course, this is meant to deal with opiates mostly, but the fact that they can make decisions based on personal feelings is significant imo and wrong

 

[TCEL]

Christians are hobbled as long as they continue to accept the non-Christian doctrine of contraception. This is an indication of things to come. In the worst case, religious freedom doesn’t win out over contraceptives; in the best case, it will be a tough fight. As evidenced in the article, progressivism continues to see the relationship between contraception and abortion, to our undoing.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

Actually, here in KY at least, pharmacists have some leeway in filling scripts, after the painkiller law in 2012, they can now refuse legal scripts if they ‘feel’ something is not quite right. Im not sure, but maybe they could just feel someone looks suspicious and suspect they may be selling or diverting the medicine…of course, this is meant to deal with opiates mostly, but the fact that they can make decisions based on personal feelings is significant imo and wrong

I am a Kentuckian, too and I get my meds from Walgreens as well. By law the pharmacy must fill a legal script. I am more inclined to think that the pharmacy is providing a service for the hospital and the patients as a convenience for patients and their families. They are probably not like the big commercial Walgreens on the “Corner of Healthy and Happy St.” Just to add there are at times that a Dr. might prescribe contraceptives for true medical reasons.

 

[TCEL]

Just to add there are at times that a Dr. might prescribe contraceptives for true medical reasons.

I’m a Kentuckian by heritage.

It’s absolutely true that contraception may be prescribed medicinally. I know in my case, contraception would have masked my problem. So yes, prescribing it is more convoluted than yea or nay. I’m not convinced that’s the ACLU’s underlying concern, though.