Lawmakers push for conscience clauses

[Jimbo S]

#1 on my list of passionate causes: resist and defeat the Christian Taliban. It just boggles my mind the ideas some of these guys come up with. If you don't want to perform your job, THEN QUIT!

supporters of a so-called "conscience clause" that would give pharmacists the right to refuse to perform certain services based on a violation of personal beliefs or values. Opponents say, however, that pharmacists have no place in the patient-doctor relationship.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/mar05/307257.asp

Edited: for spelling.

[davidinalameda]

1. old news

this has been going on for a while

[Jimbo S]

4. Yeah, but the fundies

have taken over the Wisconsin Republican Party just the last couple of years and they control the Legislative branch in the statehouse. They're getting their agenda geared up.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. As a licensed pharmacy technician, I find the notion disgusting...

...that people think they can go into a field and then try to impose their own set of moral values on others.

Of course, we have heard the horror stories about pharmacists not dispensing birth control, but where do they draw the line?

Should I be able to not dispense antivirals to people with HIV?

Should I be able to not dispense medications for ADD because I think it's a discipline problem instead of a medical one?

Should I be able to refuse to dispense Viagra?

Should I be able to refuse to dispense psychiatric maintenence drugs because I believe that real healing of mental illness comes from God?

It's bullshit. It is not a pharmacist's or technician's job to come between the patient and the doctor.

[China_cat]

3. I don't quite agree with

pharmacists have no place in the patient-doctor relationship. They have their place (as the 3rd point in a health care triangle) but it is NOT to countermand a doctor's orders.

I can see a pharmacist realizing that medication the doctor had prescribed was contraindicated to another med and informing the doctor. That's part of proper patient care. But to substitute their -moral- judgement for the doctor's medical instructions? No way.

[gizmo1979]

5. If they can't do their job fire them!

I couldn't tell my boss I can't do that it's against my religion.Why should they?