The pharmacist warned that if he refused an abortion-related drug, he could violate the law: Shot

Mifepristone (mifepristone) and misoprostol are two drugs used for drug-induced abortion and can be prescribed for other medical uses. However, some pharmacists refuse to fill out the prescription.

Robin Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Hide captions

Switch captions

Robin Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Mifepristone (mifepristone) and misoprostol are two drugs used for drug-induced abortion and can be prescribed for other medical uses. However, some pharmacists refuse to fill out the prescription.

Robin Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Federal health officials reminded US pharmacies on Wednesday that they must comply with federal civil rights law in their decisions regarding the supply and dispensing of medicines.This comes after multiple news reports of pharmacists who refused to prescribe drugs used for abortion after the Supreme Court’s ruling was overturned. Roe v. Wade..

Guidance makes it clear that pharmacists should not discriminate against pharmacy customers “in terms of supplying medicines, making decisions about the suitability of prescription drugs to patients, or advising patients on medicines and how to take them.” .. Ministry of Health and Welfare.

“We promise to ensure that everyone has non-discriminatory access to health care,” HHS Secretary Xavier Besera said in a release. “This includes access to prescription drugs for reproductive health and other types of care.”

According to guidance to pharmacies, an example of such discrimination is when a pharmacist refuses to dispense a prescription for mifepristone and misoprostol to a patient who has an early pregnancy miscarriage. According to HHS, these medicines are used “to help the passage of miscarriage.” However, they are also used for early pregnancy drug abortions — and such abortions are currently banned in some states.

The ministry has produced guidance for approximately 60,000 retail pharmacies in the United States and is federally funded through several programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, resulting in race, color, country of origin, and gender. Reminded me that I can’t discriminate on the basis of age or disability. ; In addition, it is not possible to discriminate on the basis of current pregnancy, past pregnancy, possible or intended pregnancy, and medical conditions associated with pregnancy or childbirth.

Misoprostol is also used for gastric ulcers, so if a pharmacy refuses to store the drug or dispense it to patients with severe or chronic gastric ulcers, guidance can lead to discrimination based on disability.

Another example of guidance is about contraception. If a pharmacy stocks contraceptives such as condoms but refuses to dispense hormonal contraceptives such as pills, it can lead to gender discrimination.

HHS officials say pharmacists are doctors not only in states like Louisiana that restricted abortion after the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 24, but also in states like Virginia where abortion is still legal. We distributed a collection of news articles that refused to fill out the prescription to reporters.

Doctor quoted in New Orleans Times-Picayun She said she prescribed Cytotec (a brand name for misoprostol) to make IUD insertion easier. The pharmacy called her and asked if her prescription was for an abortion. Even after she made it clear, it still refused to dispense the drug.

HHS also shared a news report on pharmacies refusing to dispense methotrexate, a commonly used drug for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, cysts, and other autoimmune diseases.

Methotrexate can also be used to end a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy. Report the LA Times And other retailers featured patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, who were refused or had difficulty obtaining methotrexate prescriptions.

Senior health officials will not comment on those particular news reports or incidents on Wednesday, but said the purpose of the guidance was to provide pharmacists with clarity and support in their work. One official said the guidance clarified that federal law obligations should come first in case of conflict with state law. However, she added that if there was a particular conflict with state law, it would have to be investigated in each case.

Patients who appear to have been discriminated against in a pharmacy are advised to file a complaint at: www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints..