New Planned Parenthood Campaign

Sometimes I get funny mail, such as "why am I getting this stuff#@?" The letter from Planned Parenthood says that pharmacists are trying to tell people how to live their lives by refusing to fill certain prescriptions. The new PP campaign is called "Fill My Pills Now."

PP is very upset that lawmakers in 22 states have introduced 54 bills that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill "birth control" prescriptions based on their personal moral or religious objections. PP says their new campaign will pressure pharmacies "to enact policies that ensure no woman will be turned away with an unfilled birth control prescription because of a pharmacist's misguided beliefs." Wonder if they mean drugs that abort a newly formed baby in its first days of life!

The PP letter enclosed three postcards which I was asked to sign and remit to PP, and that say:

Your policy on pharmacist refusals is not acceptable. It must change. I've heard that pharmacists in your stores may refuse to fill a woman's birth control prescription. This is not just bad policy; it's outrageous!

The three postcard-sized messages sponsored by PP ask the CEOs of three large companies to change their policies and deny the right of pharmacists to refuse to fill an immoral prescription. PP is even opposed to referral clauses that permit a refusing pharmacist to refer a customer to another pharmacist. [Of course, referrals to pharmacists who will prescribe an anti-life drug are a bad idea too.]

Here's an alternative letter than can be emailed to the CEOs of the three companies: Robert Ulrich, Target CEO, David Bernauer, Walgreens CEO, and Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie CEO.

Dear Sir:

I understand your company allows a pharmacist with strong moral and religious convictions to refuse to distribute certain abortion prescriptions. Your policy is wise and should be maintained because it protects the integrity of your pharmacists.

Once you make a man (or woman) violate his conscience, you have caused that person to be deceitful, in that he acts contrary to what he believes is right. This undermines the good standards of any profession, especially pharmacy with a strong ethical tradition.

"To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death. Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. ... If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot." Hippocratic Oath

Here are the email addresses for upper management of Target, Walgreens, and Winn-Dixie.