Obstacles to Access: How Pharmacist Refusal Clauses Undermine the Basic Health Care Needs of Rural and Low-Income Women

Holly Teliska

Obstacles to Access: How Pharmacist Refusal Clauses Undermine the Basic Health Care Needs of Rural and Low-Income Women
Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice

Extract
If pharmacists object to particular prescriptions, they should only be allowed to refuse to fill the prescription if meaningful and logistically feasible alternatives are in place. As an alternative, either another pharmacist must be on duty with the refusing pharmacist, or alternative ways of providing service must be in place. A woman should not have to travel to other pharmacies in search of a pharmacist that serves all patients, nor should she have to wait an unreasonable amount of time to have her prescription filled.


Teliska H. Obstacles to Access: How Pharmacist Refusal Clauses Undermine the Basic Health Care Needs of Rural and Low-Income Women. Berkely J Gender, Law Justice. 2005;20(1):229-248.