Take a good long look at this story.
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.– Brittany Cartrett recently learned some bad news from her doctor about her pregnancy. She miscarried around five or six weeks along.
“So we made the decision to not do a D&C and to get a medicine. So he said I’m going to give you this medicine, you’ll take it, and it will help you to pass naturally so that you don’t have to go the more invasive route”, said Brittany Cartrett.
The doctor’s office called the Milledgeville Walmart to fill the prescription but they were told no and they were not given a reason.
“So we found another place to fill it but I still had to go up there to get another prescription so when I went up there she asked if I had any questions about this prescription I said no I don’t but I do have a question about the other one. And she looks at my name and she says oh, well…I couldn’t think of a valid reason why you would need this prescription“, Cartrett said.
The drug in question is Misoprostol, which can also used to induce abortions. [emphasis mine]
Everyone okay with a pharmacist overruling an actual doctor’s orders and diagnosis? Everyone okay with a pharmacist deciding, without examining you (not that they would even be capable of that) or knowing your medical condition, if you have a “valid reason” for the prescription decided upon by an actual doctor?
Republicans knew what they were doing making this about wedding cakes and photographers – they knew most people would shrug at cakes, flowers and wedding photos while missing the end game. These pharmacist “conscience clauses” are simply another way to achieve the same end. Religious Discrimination. I can’t even imagine a pharmacist thinking they are remotely qualified to make such a decision. How certain drugs interact? Sure. Whether you have a “valid reason” for needing a drug? That decision is far above their pay grade. They are not qualified (not one little bit) to make such a decision.
They should be forbidden, by law, from making/overruling a decision made by an actual doctor. And if their “conscience” bothers them then they need to find a new job, because they are unable to do the job they were hired for. And we’d never tolerate this behavior in any other profession. A fireman/woman who refused to enter a burning building because fire = Satan? A fast food worker who refused to serve an overweight person because fast food could lead to their death? And there’s Cassandra’s example of a Muslim grocery store clerk who won’t allow pork products in their lane. (We know the last example won’t happen since these proposed/existing laws only consider christian beliefs. We are fast approaching a National Religion, and that should concern everyone.)
And given the Hobby Lobby decision – which said what you believe matters (that Plan B and Ella are abortifacients), not facts (they aren’t)* – then what happens when pharmacists “believe” other medication cause abortion or death and they can’t fill prescriptions because of their conscience? Don’t worry, Viagra will always be considered a god-given right, but what about other medications considered unsafe during pregnancy? What if the pharmacist “believes” you’re pregnant, and in “good” conscience refuses to fill your actual doctor’s prescription? And that’s not a leap, it’s the plan. All women of child bearing age shall be considered pregnant at all times. I’m bracing myself for mandatory pregnancy tests administered at the pharmacy counter.
And just like wedding cakes aren’t remotely the real issue (they are just a way to get to get lazy focus groups to say “yep” without having to think – because, hey, it’s just a cake!), these “conscience clauses” aren’t about a pharmacist’s conscience, they are about inflicting the pharmacist’s religious views on everyone else. And that’s a problem that will eventually impact everyone. I cannot stress that enough. Be very careful in dismissing/labeling these incidents as gay issues or women issues or minority issues. Religious Conservatives are counting on that; they are counting on people letting this nonsense slide because their next steps rely on laying this groundwork.
*Pay close attention to Hobby Lobby’s bogus claim that Plan B and Ella are abortifacients. Once they get that lie cemented into public opinion (just like they did with wedding cakes) get ready for The Pill to come under further attacks by “pro-life” groups and christian pharmacists because the medication in Plan B and Ella are exactly the same as oral contraceptives. See how that works? If you “believe” Plan B/Ella are abortifacients then you believe oral contraceptives are abortifacients. No leap required.