In the media yesterday it was reported that another pharmacy, this one located in Virginia, is refusing to refill birth control, regardless of prescription. Interestingly enough, in Virginia the pharmacists has the right to turn away anyone, or any prescription. This may bring up some future problems for Virginian pharmacists or other states that adapt a policy similar to this, allowing the pharmacist make a decision on YOUR life. For example, a pharmacist who says, “No, I can’t prescribe estrogen for your sexual reassignment surgery because it interferes with god’s creation of men and women,” or “No, I can’t prescribe you Viagra because you will use it for abominable gay sex,” or “No, I can’t treat your vaginal infection because then you will go have sex — and since you are not married, you shouldn’t be doing that,” or “Can I please see your marriage license before you buy those condoms?” or “No, I won’t prescribe you Prozac because it will make it harder for you to ejaculate and in turn limit your family size,” or “No, I can’t prescribe you testosterone because you are a woman and it will increase you desire and you will want more sex.” Even beyond the pharmacy, what if a high school counselor or teacher decides not to help a girl get into MIT because girls shouldn’t be in this field. So where does the pharmacists refusal to fill prescriptions stop? It is just for birth control? Is this a segway into other drugs that pharmacists may have an objection to? I think the scary thing here is we are starting to loose some of our person rights for ourselves to choose what is best for OUR body. Pharmacists can still exercise their rights and personal views but choosing not to take what they may have a moral objection to but when these people start making decisions for ourselves, they are impeding on OUR right of freedom to choose.
Both New Jersey and New York along with five other states ensure that all women, especially rape victims have access to birth control.