[Pflienews] PharmFacts E-News Update: IN lawmakers support Pharmacist's Rights of Conscience

Mon Jan 14 05:49:21 MST 2008

NB: PFLI's president Karen Brauer, who testified in support of this 
excellent bill, is briefly quoted in the article below. However, the 
reporterette misspelled Brauer's name. Support from the state 
pharmacists' association, a very positive step, is noted at the end of 
the article.
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*PharmFacts E-News Update -- 14 Jan 2008 AD

**Lawmakers debate pharmacist "bill of rights"*

Updated: Jan 10, 2008 05:38 AM

Senator Jeff Drozda's bill would give Indiana pharmacist the right not 
to dispense based on their personal beliefs.
Senator Jeff Drozda's bill would give Indiana pharmacist the right not 
to dispense based on their personal beliefs.
Opponents say the bill would include prescriptions like "Plan B," the 
morning after pill.
Opponents say the bill would include prescriptions like "Plan B," the 
misnamed  so-called "morning after pill." Plan B is a known abortifacient.

Sandra Chapman <mailto:schapman at wthr.com>/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - Indiana lawmakers are debating a bill over a pharmacists 
right to not dispense certain prescription drugs. Some are concerned 
it's not specific enough and could include contraceptives.

A proposed "conscience clause" that would give Indiana pharmacist the 
right not to dispense based on their personal beliefs stirred up quite a 
reaction in a Senate committee hearing Wednesday.

"That doesn't nail it down enough when you just leave it to some body's 
beliefs," said Senator Earline Rogers (D-Gary), who was concerned about 
the language in the bill.

Amy Jacobsen of Planned Parenthood said such a change is 
unnecessary. "It interjects a pharmacists belief system into a medical 
situation without putting the patient's needs first."

Reaction in downtown Indianapolis was equally concerning.

"I just know that I would be very disappointed and frustrated if someone 
wouldn't fill my prescription that I really needed," added Julia Ball.

*The bill's author Senator Jeff Drozda (R-Westfield) says it's aimed at 
drugs that could cause an abortion, destroy an unborn child or aid in a 
suicide or mercy killing.*

*That drew support from pharmacist Karen Brower [sic]. "One human being 
should not be forced to kill another."*

But others say it would also include prescriptions like "Plan B," the 
[so-called] "morning after pill."

Drozda denied it. "If I had any intention to include contraceptives, I 
would put that in there and it is not in the bill," he said when 
questioned by Senator Vi Simpson (D-Bloomington).

"I believe that because unborn child is not defined and you're leaving 
it up to a pharmacist to make that determination that it does cover 
contraceptives," Senator Simpson explained.

Right now, a pharmacist can refuse to fill a prescription if there's 
evidence of fraud or addiction or if it's simply in the patient's best 
interest. But under Senate Bill 3, pharmacists could add their own moral 
judgments about dispensing certain drugs without fear of losing their jobs.

"I don't know if passing a law, if it's hurting someone's business, I 
think it should be up to the business owner whether or not this person 
as a right to refuse prescriptions," Indianapolis resident Tom Gore told 
Eyewitness News.

"If that person has a legitimate prescription from the doctor, then he 
or she should be allowed to fulfill it," added long-time resident 
Mildred Ball.

Hospice workers are concerned that this could cause unnecessary 
suffering for the terminally ill in need of high doses of pain relief.

Senator Drozda has unsuccessfully proposed similar clauses before.

This time around the opponents lining up include Planned Parenthood and 
the Jewish Community Relations Council.

The Indiana Pharmacist Alliance supports the bill, and says it mirrors a 
policy it already has in place.

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PFLI PharmAid Center
pfli at pfli.org <mailto:pfli at pfli.org>
PO Box 1281
Powell, OH 43065-1281 USA
800-227-8359
www.pfli.org

PFLI supports pharmacist rights of conscience NOT to be forced to 
dispense or counsel for chemicals which violate their sincerely held 
religious, moral or ethical beliefs.  For more info see:
http://www.pfli.org/main.php?pfli=conscienceclausefaq

*** PFLI is the only pharmacy association which is exclusively pro-life.
It represents thousands of pharmacists and many lay supporters
in the USA, Canada and all around the globe. For membership info, key
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