A PHARMACIST at a Nampa, Idaho, Walgreens was willing to let a patient suffer or, possibly worse, rather than dispense anti-bleeding medication.
Why? Because that medication is sometimes used to stop uterine bleeding after an abortion.
According to a report from Change.org, in November, a nurse practitioner with Planned Parenthood ordered a prescription for the drug Methergine from the pharmacist:
The pharmacist, suspicious that the woman's uncontrolled bleeding may have been the result of an abortion, called the nurse practitioner who wrote the prescription to inquire why the patient needed it. When the nurse refused to answer because to do so would violate the patient's confidentiality, the pharmacist hung up on her and refused to fill the prescription.
Essentially, the pharmacist was saying that, while her conscience was just dandy with letting a woman bleed out, it would have a problem saving her life if it was even a possibility that the blood loss was connected to an abortion. The pharmacist's conscience being so fickle, apparently also prevented her from even referring the woman to a pharmacy who would fill her prescription...
The pharmacist in the case invoked the state's recent "conscience clause" to justify refusing to perform her job and dispense potentially life-saving medication. That law allows pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraceptives and drugs that cause abortions if they violate their "conscience."
But as a complaint filed by Planned Parenthood points out, the medication in question doesn't cause abortions. Instead, it can be used to control bleeding after a normal delivery, abortion or a miscarriage, or other cause of uterine bleeding.
As Planned Parenthood points out, whether the woman seeking to have the prescription filled had had an abortion or some other cause of uterine bleeding is, in fact, none of the pharmacist's business.
But in this case, the pharmacist showed that her "conscience" wasn't bothered by the possibility of a real, live woman suffering.
If the pharmacist is found to have violated state law by refusing to fill the prescription, she could face fines or the loss of her license. Here's hoping she receives both penalties.
