Sacramento, Calif., Jan 5, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A new bill proposed last month would oblige pharmacists to fill prescriptions for birth control and other abortifacients, even if it is against their moral and religious convictions. The bill was proposed by California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys.
About a dozen states have passed laws granting pharmacists the right to refuse filling such prescriptions. If the new bill were passed, California would be the first state to would require pharmacists to dispense contraceptives.
"A pharmacist's job is to fill the prescription that a doctor prescribes for a patient," said Levine, who is also working on a bill to legalize doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
Pharmacists For Life International said pharmacists should retain the right to make decisions based on their beliefs and clinical judgments.