Some of the readers of this site know that I have a background in pharmacy. I have a continued interest in the profession - mostly because of the disillusionment I dealt with - and when it crosses with a socially-relevant Christian worldview topic, I just can't resist.
Well, today I found an article that mixes the many facets of the "emergency contraception" (EC) drugs that face pharmacists that claim to be Christians in one tidy article (here). Certainly, there have been PLENTY of articles covering what are generally painted as "renegade" pharmacists in the popular media. But the one at Christianity Today gave me pause.
In general, I think there's a lot of well-intentioned, yet misguided folks on this topic. These new EC's are the IDENTICAL drugs (ingredients) contained in regular birth control drugs that these same pharmacists dispense MANY of every day. These aren't the nasty true (in scientific definition) abortifacients like RU486 that created so much hullabaloo years ago. This is literally "more of the same" that we do already. Boosted doses of drugs we have long been comfortable to dispense (unless you're Catholic, of course). So, while I don't see any value in stating MY view on these, I think it's safe to say that most folks don't really know what they're arguing about...even some pharmacists, unfortunately.
However, this situation has brought to light something I felt when I was in the profession - that pharmacists are not respected members of the medical community nor considered "experts" by society. Let's look at each of those points.
First, pharmacists have long been second class citizens when compared to doctors and nurses. They're somewhere above chiropractors and podiatrists, but below psychologists. Medical docs are, of course, the top of the heap. They've long been discounted as incapable of writing prescriptions - even though the medicines are EXACTLY what they focus on and know the most about. Yes, they have less training in diagnosis, but partnered with a doctor (in crisis situations, for example) and it would only serve the patient better. Pharmacists have had to shoe-horn their way on to the medical rounds team. Pharmacists have been supposedly replaced by automated solutions in many outlets (retail and hospital) and staffed down only to the minimum level required by law in some cases.
Likewise, there is a perception within society that the pharmacist is basically an "automated pill dispenser..." and shouldn't have the same option to exercise their medical training as their doctor does. I've literally been berated because we wouldn't dispense a drug that would interact with another they were taking. While the circumstances are different, the lack of respect for the training and education is the same. "Who cares if the pharmacist says it - my doctor told me to take it." Where are the days of people respecting their neighborhood pharmacist and seeing them as not only a "key" part of their healthcare team, but often, the first-line of support with something ails them.
Largely, this is why I became disillusioned with pharmacy. Working at your neighborhood pillbox isn't healthcare - it's RETAIL. So, does that mean you check your training at the door and just become a checkout jockey?
That said, I think these pharmacists that refuse to dispense ECs had best NOT be dispensing any birth control pills at all. Noesen, in the article has this as his standard, but has paid dearly for it.
On the other hand, if this was a story about a true life-killing drug - be it babies, the elderly, the terminal, whatever - the pharmacist should have the respect and legal grounds to use the training they've earned and their expert ('cause they are) opinions to "Do no harm." Have we heard that phrase before? Oh wait, pharmacists aren't doctors, right? So that doesn't apply, I guess.
Later.