Woman refused morning-after pill

Supermarket giant Tesco has apologised to a woman after she was refused the morning-after pill at one of their stores.
Ruth Johnson, 30, was refused the emergency contraception by a locum pharmacist working within a store's dispensary in Cleethorpes.
The mother of two, whose youngest child was born four weeks ago, had not been using her usual contraception with her fiance and asked for the pill Levonelle at her local store.
Tesco apologised but said the pharmacist was acting within his rights under an industry code of ethics.

A spokesman added: "We do apologise to Mrs Johnson for the inconvenience caused. However, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's code of ethics allows pharmacists the right to refuse."
Miss Johnson told the Grimsby Telegraph: "He came out from behind a screen and told me that he would not be 'allowing' me to buy the pill from him, because he had a right to refuse to sell it on the basis of his personal beliefs. I asked him if it was because of his religion and he replied 'yes'."
She added: "I appreciate we live in a multicultural society, but what gives people the right to impose their beliefs on me?"
Priya Sejpal, head of professional ethics at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), said: "The Royal Pharmaceutical Society code of ethics requires pharmacists to make the care of their patients their first concern and to show respect for others."
Ms Sejpal said any pharmacist should not impose their beliefs on a member of the public seeking their professional guidance.
She added: "The RPSGB's guidance on this matter is similar to that of other health regulators such as the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council, whose professional codes also have a clause outlining the action health professionals should take if they have a conscientious objection to providing a particular professional service."

I don't agree with any profession being able to foist their own religious beliefs on someone else. If you can't provide a service, you shouldn't be in the job. It's like the supermarket worker suing his boss because he had to move crates of alcohol and it's against his religion. Why apply for a job like that in the first place?

On the other hand, the idiot who (four weeks after giving birth) is so stupid she can't even sort out her contraception gets no sympathy either.

I'm in two minds about it. My old doctor is a Catholic and will not put anyone forward for an abortion because she does not agree with it, and I whole heartedly agree with her. And there are an increasing amount of doctors who refuse to sign the necessary forms with because of their religion or because they dont agree with the way abortion is being used as a contraception.

But these doctors can also help thousands and thousands of people, so why should they deny people their knowledge because a few stupid women who cant keep their legs shut might get upset.

On the other hand, as you say they know that they will be asked before they go into the job (well actually my doc qualified in the 60's so abortions weren't as prevalent, and perhaps this pharmacist qualified before the morning after became so easy to buy). So they shouldnt go into the job, or make it clear they wont serve the morning after pill first, i.e. notices on the door/windows etc to save people the embarrassment of asking.

Surely someone with 2 kids already should have her contraception sorted first