Protection of Conscience Project News
Service, not Servitude
Metro
A mum was told she couldn’t have emergency contraception because it went against the beliefs of the only pharmacist working that Sunday.
Siani, 41, visited her local LloydsPharmacy at Sainsbury’s on Lewes Road, Brighton, when a female member of staff refused to give her the morning after pill for ‘personal reasons’.
Knowing that there are not many pharmacies open on a Sunday, Siani ordered the contraception online and paid upfront for collection. . . [Full text]
Indiana Senate Bill 201, proposed by Senator Liz Brown, has been amended in committee and is progressing through the Indiana General Assembly. Existing Indiana law protects freedom of conscience for physicians, nurses and institutional employees in relation to surgical abortion. Bill 201 amends the statute to include medical abortion and extends protection to physician assistants and pharmacists.
Malta Independent
The Chamber of Pharmacists (Kamra tal-Ispizjara) has sent an email to its members stating that there is a standard question protocol that pharmacists must follow when dispensing the Morning After Pill without a prescription.
These guidelines, the email said, are professional tools and should be kept confidential.
The Chamber also noted that pharmacists should avoid engaging in public discussions on social media. “The Chamber reprimands pharmacists who do not uphold such standards bringing the profession to disrepute.” [Full text]
BBC News
A midwife who campaigned for staff to opt out of abortion work fears plans for “at home” abortions could see a rise in objections from health staff.
Mary Doogan lost her fight to not be responsible for other colleagues involved in terminations.
She thinks the plans to allow women to take the second abortion pill at home will implicate GPs and pharmacists.
She supports a law change to extend conscientious objection to those not directly involved with the process. . . [Full Text]
AJP.com.au
Victoria’s controversial Voluntary Assisted Dying bill – which would introduce legislation that would be the most “conservative” of its type in the world – has passed the State’s lower house, bringing the process one step closer.
Under the legislation, pharmacists would be part of the process, supplying lethal medicines in a locked box to eligible patients. . . [Full text]