London, England, Nov 24, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Daily Mirror Newspaper reported that a 24-year old mother of two was denied the morning-after pill by a Catholic pharmacist on grounds of his religious beliefs.
The woman, who was forced to go to a clinic in order to acquire the pill 6 hours later, plans to sue the pharmacy if she gets pregnant. "What gives him the right to play God?” she asked. “Everyone is entitled to an opinion but I don't want someone making a decision like this for me. It is available to buy so I had the right to buy it. It's irresponsible of the pharmacy not to have someone there who is able to serve it."
However, in not dispensing the pill to the woman, the pharmacist, an employee of Lloyd’s pharmacy, "objected on religious grounds, which he is fully within his rights to do,” said Andy Murdock, Lloyds' pharmacy director.
The pharmaceutical industry’s code of conduct states that he can refuse to do so on religious grounds, as long as he suggests an alternative pharmacist.
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