Conservative UK Pharmacist Denies Contraceptive Pills To Mother Of Two

A conservative UK pharmacist has kicked up a furore by refusing to sell contraceptive pills to a mother of two. Selling the pills would go against her religious beliefs, the pharmacist asserted and stood firm.

Janine Deeley, 38, was bluntly told to try another chemist or come back the next day when someone else would be on duty.

Miss Deeley said she was prescribed the pill by her GP because she suffers from a condition which causes painful periods, Chris Brooke reported for Daily Mail.

But the pharmacist insisted, "I don't give them out because of my religion."

When Ms Deeley incredulously asked, "You're not giving me the pills because of your religion?" she replied "Yes." The woman customer could only storm out in disgust.

The jobless single mother has daughters Carlie, 18, and Lauren, 14, and she is concerned about the implications of such a refusal policy.

She said: 'My daughter is 18 - she might want to go on the Pill and she has got that right. I'd rather have that than an unwanted pregnancy.'

A spokeswoman for Lloyds pharmacy said an investigation had been launched and said it would apologise to Ms Deeley.

Apparently the pharmacist is a locum who is said to occasionally fill in when the regular pharmacists are on holiday or on a day off.

A spokesman of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) sent out conflicting signals, saying, 'While the Code of Ethics and Standards does not require a pharmacist to provide a service that is contrary to their religious or moral beliefs, any attempt by a pharmacist to impose their beliefs on a member of the public seeking their professional guidance, or a failure to have systems in place to advise of alternative sources for the service required, would be of great concern to the RPSGB and could form the basis of a complaint of professional misconduct.'




Source-Medindia
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