Virginia pharmacy declares it's "birth-control free"

[Honey]

A pharmacy in Chantilly, VA. has become the seventh pharmacy to be officially certified by the anti-choice group Pharmacists for Life International.

On Tuesday, the pharmacy celebrated a blessing from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. While Divine Mercy Care is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it is guided by church teachings on sexuality, which forbid any form of artificial contraception, including morning-after pills, condoms and birth control pills, a common prescription used by millions of women in the U.S. "This pharmacy is a vibrant example of our Holy Father's charge to all of us to wear our faith in the public square," said Loverde, who sprinkled holy water on the shelves stocked with painkillers and acne treatments. "It will allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised."

Because otherwise families will be forced to compromise their faith by shopping at the CVS down the block, where cashiers toss handfuls of birth control pills into the air with wild abandon, buckets of NuvaRings are for sale right next to the cash register, and every aisle contains giant posters of copulating couples with taglines like "SEX WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!" (Kidding.)
Seriously, though, Jessica at Jezebel explains why this matters:

So what's the big deal, you may think, this pharmacy is in the D.C. area, competing against thousands of pharmacies that do dispense birth control. But, as former Planned Parenthood lawyer Roberta Riley points out, "in parts of Montana, women must drive 80 miles to find a pharmacy willing to sell contraception," because so many pharmacists are practicing their "consciences." What's more, as Tarina Keene, executive director of the Virginia chapter of NARAL notes, "If this emboldens other pharmacies in other parts of the state, it could really affect low-income and rural women in terms of access." But isn't denying women their prescriptions illegal? Well, it depends on where you live.

Let's hope it doesn't become a full-blown trend.

Virginia pharmacy declares it's "birth-control free" - Feministing

[Grimmlok]

I love how they can pick and choose what medications to dispense based on what THEIR beliefs are.

I cant wait for the person who gets refused insuling, or nitro for a heart condition, or something even more absurd.

In closing, fuck these retards.

[Mivvi21]

This shit should not be tolerated. People should not be allowed to push their beliefs on others. Why is this kind of extremism allowed to continue?

[McJag]

Idiots. I hope they go out of business quick.

[Shinola]

Ovarian cancer runs in my family, and I have had birth control prescribed for me because it lowers my risk of developing it myself.

Likewise, I believe women with endometriosis are often prescribed the pill for managing their symptoms.

There must be other medical uses, too.

I view this stuff as war against women.

[Lobelia]

They could set up an aisle to sell all the unwanted babies. Think of the profit margin.

[Penny Lane]

Pfft.. they can plan on losing a lot of business.. I suspect many religious nuts use birth control on the down low. This is not convenient at all.

[greysfang]

Originally Posted by Mivvi21

This shit should not be tolerated. People should not be allowed to push their beliefs on others. Why is this kind of extremism allowed to continue?

Actually I think this is a good solution for them to open their own stores. Now if CVS and Walgreens, etc., would fire all their pharmacists and tell them to open their own Holy Pharmacies, we won't have these problems of women not being able to get their morning after pills at their regular place because some fundie doesn't believe she should have it.

[Beeyotch]

Holy Pharmacies! It's funny and a practical solution!

But seriously, I do agree that it would have some serious implications in terms of severely limiting access or cutting off access altogether to some people who live in rural areas.

[Rica]

So if this was the only phmarcy near me, and it wouldnt give me birth control, and i got preg, could I demand it pay me child support?

[katerpillar]

How bloody stupid.

[RevellingInSane]

One way to stop this would be to suspend, or completely revoke, their narcotic dispensation numbers and license to act a a pharmacy if they practice discrimination. If there is a separation of church and state, as it should be, any pharmacy basing its sales choices on religion should be barred from receiving the governmental paperwork needed to operate.

[Sweetie]

I am sure the pharmacy is privately own, so they can chose to sale whatever they want. Just go to another place to get meds filled. It's just that simple.

[Mel1973]

A. No, the pharmacy wouldn't have to pay anyone child support. The FATHER might but not the pharmacy.
B. They haven't gotten rid of all the birth control, that clerk is ugly enough to shrivel dicks and dry up vaginas everywhere...

[Grimmlok]

Originally Posted by Sweetie

I am sure the pharmacy is privately own, so they can chose to sale whatever they want. Just go to another place to get meds filled. It's just that simple.

and how does that work in rural areas where people have to drive 3 hours to get to anothe one?