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A majority of Americans would most certainly agree that
dispensing medications -- many extremely potent -- in a pharmacy is
much different from "checking out groceries in a supermarket." Each
time a prescription is dropped off at the pharmacy counter, the
pharmacist uses his clinical expertise and experience to determine
whether that prescription is clinically safe. If a legally
prescribed medication is deemed harmful -- due to a possible drug
interaction, overdose, underdose or conflict with the patient's
other health conditions -- the pharmacist works with the physician
to make the necessary adjustments on the patient's behalf.
Pharmacists customarily work with the patients themselves to help
them understand and make the best use of their medications. All of
this happens daily, routinely, before the patient leaves the
pharmacy.
If the governor sincerely wants to expand access to emergency
contraception, he will act to allow pharmacists working in
collaboration with physicians to prescribe and dispense emergency
contraception under specific written protocols such as those in use
in New Hampshire, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico and
Washington State.
Since April, when Blagojevich issued his emergency order that
requires pharmacies to dispense prescriptions "without delay," both
the American Pharmacists Association and the Illinois pharmacy
community have tried to work with and educate his administration
about the critical role pharmacists play on the health care team.
The governor's most recent statements gravely insult the
profession's contribution to health care and the patient care
services pharmacists provide.
Litigation is pending in Illinois regarding the state's
Healthcare Right of Conscience Act, and the courts will play their
role to interpret the statutory language and its applicability to
pharmacists. The American Pharmacists Association awaits the court's
decision on the matter, particularly how pharmacists' protections as
health care professionals are to be interpreted.
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 The American Pharmacists Association supports the ability of
pharmacists to excuse themselves from certain activities -- much the
same way doctors, nurses and other health professionals excuse
themselves. But in contrast to the approach taken by other health
care professionals, the association's endorsement of the ability to
"step away" comes with an additional task -- the establishment of
alternative systems to ensure that the patient gets clinically safe,
legally prescribed therapy. This duty is entirely in keeping with
the code of ethics for pharmacists and forms the bedrock of
accountability to individual patients.
When this policy is implemented correctly -- and proactively --
it is seamless to the patient. The patient gets his or her
medication, and the pharmacist steps away from an activity he or she
may find objectionable. The American Pharmacists Association sees
the accommodation of both the patient and the pharmacist as a
preferable solution.
Denigration of an entire profession is not required.
[Statement of the
American Pharmacists Association]
The American Pharmacists Association is dedicated to improving
medication use and advancing patient care. Founded in 1852 as the
American Pharmaceutical Association, APhA is the first-established
and largest professional association of pharmacists in the United
States. The more than 53,000 members include pharmacists,
scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others
interested in advancing the profession.
The Illinois Pharmacists Association, founded in 1880, is the
state's largest and oldest organization representing all pharmacy
practice settings.
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