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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 02:16 PM Jul 2015

Pharmacy owners cannot cite religion to deny medicine: U.S. appeals court

Source: Reuters

The state of Washington can require a pharmacy to deliver medicine even if the pharmacy’s owner has a religious objection, a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday, the latest in a series of judgments on whether religious believers can opt out of providing services.

The ruling, from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, came in a case filed by pharmacists who objected to delivering emergency contraceptives. The 9th Circuit overturned a lower court that had said the rules were unconstitutional.

The U.S. Supreme Court last year allowed closely held corporations to seek exemptions from the Obamacare health law’s contraception requirement.

In Washington, the state permits a religiously objecting individual pharmacist to deny medicine, so long as another pharmacist working there provides timely delivery. The rules require a pharmacy to deliver all medicine, even if the owner objects.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/pharmacy-owners-cannot-cite-religion-to-deny-medicine-u-s-appeals-court/

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Pharmacy owners cannot cite religion to deny medicine: U.S. appeals court (Original Post) DonViejo Jul 2015 OP
good. so sick of these riversedge Jul 2015 #1
Good. Irrational superstitions should have no part in medical decisions. Arugula Latte Jul 2015 #2
I could not agree more! Nice way to put it! Raster Jul 2015 #4
Especially in the 21st Century Ligyron Jul 2015 #6
Good. christx30 Jul 2015 #3
these cases are thinly veil examples of sexism MissMillie Jul 2015 #5
Damn good point. 3catwoman3 Jul 2015 #7
"Woe unto him..." Jerry442 Jul 2015 #10
I agree. brer cat Jul 2015 #24
Good! haikugal Jul 2015 #8
The whole premise behind these Pharmacists "moral objections" is ridiculous...... Jade Fox Jul 2015 #14
That's my reasoning about all of these religious objections...get another job. haikugal Jul 2015 #17
This is a significant victory. Thanks for the post. Hekate Jul 2015 #9
Cue FOX "News" claiming Christians are under attack,.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #11
It's basically a run-on sentence at this point. AtheistCrusader Jul 2015 #20
do they dispense boner pills? pansypoo53219 Jul 2015 #12
I'm fortunate that the Little Soldier comes to attention whenever I issue the command. Hoppy Jul 2015 #16
It goes great with the "be fruitful and multiply" d_legendary1 Jul 2015 #18
Yeah Gothmog Jul 2015 #13
I have a question ... couldn't they simply NOT stock this product? brett_jv Jul 2015 #15
Don't think so. Not really. FiveGoodMen Jul 2015 #19
As an extension of licensed medical practice or supporting element of it AtheistCrusader Jul 2015 #21
Excellent news. nt Ruby the Liberal Jul 2015 #22
If you don't want to dispense controversial drugs, don't become a pharmacist. muntrv Jul 2015 #23
Once again, bravos for the State of Washington. Thanks for posting. nm rhett o rick Jul 2015 #25

Ligyron

(7,639 posts)
6. Especially in the 21st Century
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 02:41 PM
Jul 2015

Keep that nonsense in a church, temple or whatever and at home.

It has no place in government or a business that deals with the general public and uses our taxpayer paid for roads and infrastructure.

christx30

(6,241 posts)
3. Good.
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 02:24 PM
Jul 2015

I'm glad I'd be able to go into a store and get what I need without worrying about the clerk's religious objections. If I get a muslim clerk, can he stop me from buying a beer? If I get a Jewish clerk, can he stop me from buying ham? Can a Hindu cleark stop me from getting 2 pounds of ground beef?

MissMillie

(38,580 posts)
5. these cases are thinly veil examples of sexism
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 02:28 PM
Jul 2015

The argument is always the same... that these treatments interrupt "God's will" when it comes to pregnancy.

I have never heard the same people argue that men shouldn't need Viagra (isn't their ED "God's will?) or against fertility treatments.

Keep the women barefoot and pregnant.... (/sarcasm).

haikugal

(6,476 posts)
8. Good!
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 02:53 PM
Jul 2015

I've had some heated 'discussions' around this issue. One with a pharmacy student who didn't 'get it'...

This is very good news.

Thanks!

Jade Fox

(10,030 posts)
14. The whole premise behind these Pharmacists "moral objections" is ridiculous......
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 03:26 PM
Jul 2015

For example: If I claim that I find hunting morally objectionable, do I get to get a job in a sporting goods store and then refuse to sell hunting rifles? I suspect most people would tell me to quit the job.

If Pharmacists don't want to sell any drug for any reason, they should work in another field.



haikugal

(6,476 posts)
17. That's my reasoning about all of these religious objections...get another job.
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 03:56 PM
Jul 2015

That young student didn't see the problem of a pharmacy refusing to sell birth control due to religious objections...and off we go! I could not stop myself...I finally had to walk away. Ugh!

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
20. It's basically a run-on sentence at this point.
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 04:45 PM
Jul 2015

Maybe they should just put it on a loop in the news ticker at the bottom of the screen.

d_legendary1

(2,586 posts)
18. It goes great with the "be fruitful and multiply"
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 04:03 PM
Jul 2015

reference. Doubt they'll have a bone to pick with that one.

brett_jv

(1,245 posts)
15. I have a question ... couldn't they simply NOT stock this product?
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 03:31 PM
Jul 2015

I mean, is there a law that says they MUST carry these products?

If not, then this decision is just going to lead to certain pharmacies not ordering them anymore.

But at least at your 'big chain' types of places, the ones for whom individual employees 'preferences' about stuff like this won't matter ... (and hence, these products WILL be stocked, because there's money to be made), the corporate office isn't going to tolerate employees breaking federal law ... so ... at least occasionally the outcome will be different as a result of this case, and women will get the care they deserve. So there is that!

FiveGoodMen

(20,018 posts)
19. Don't think so. Not really.
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 04:41 PM
Jul 2015

They could choose not to stock a product and still be forced to order it if the customer has a prescription.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
21. As an extension of licensed medical practice or supporting element of it
Thu Jul 23, 2015, 04:48 PM
Jul 2015

No, I don't think they can. Or if they don't actively stock it, they must order it upon being presented with a valid prescription.

Licensure is to protect the consumer, from shit like this.

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