I thoroughly enjoyed reading every word of this post.

I love the phrasing “the art of medicine,” it made me smile.

I am in awe of, and in full appreciation of, and completely respect you for your strength.  I hope to never put you in the position of needing to perform your services on me, but I know if I were in a situation where I needed your help I would trust you 100% to do whatever needed to be done to help me.

As I mentioned before to you, I backed out of the Avitable discussion because I was out of my league, but just want to say that it is not in my nature to put duty above my personal beliefs when it comes to human life but I am very grateful for you and others who are able to do so.

While I hate using what amounts to a “stock comment” in my mind, I have to say that this is incredibly well written and I can agree with everything you said. You even brought up a point I’d never really considered before that I agree with ("marriage" being something that should never be state mandated, straight or gay). But I just wanted to say that I really appreciate this comment. Oh, and my wife works in a pharmacy and agrees, too.

I believe that the states of Illinois and California have both enacted legislation that requires a pharmacist to do his or her job, so that’s at least a step in the right direction.

Pharmacists don’t take the Hippocratic Oath, though, so quoting that is a bit out of place for the rest of your well-written ranticle.

amen!

While I missed the show. People get into healthcare for a variety of reasons and unfortunately there will be situations that for whatever reason you may feel uncomfortable with… but as a professional, I think you have a duty to do what is medically necessary.

I think you are one of the few people who actually echo my feelings on marriage.

I missed the show but I quite glad i got to read this post. As someone who was a public defender for six years I all too well understand the need to have folks perform the jobs they have undertaken to the fullest.

Well done.

Time and time again I read your posts and am awestruck. I love the way you put your thoughts together and out in the world. You make some wonderful points in a non-confrentational way, and I believe it makes it easier for others to “hear” you. Thank you for being som awesome!

Excellent post.

I remember hearing a news story regarding a pharmacist who refused to fill a prescription for “the abortion pill.” I was pissed.

I share your views on this topic and also believe that a pharmacist is an extension of a doctor and as such shouldn’t have the right to determine need or work on personal belief.

If I were denied a prescription, I would immediately go back to my doctor who would probably get pissed.  Most hospitals have pharmacies.  I don’t think they are allowed to have ethics

I will say I have never thought...as in never even crossed my mind...about the “marriage” thing.  While reading it, I was woah...I close my eyes to a whole lot of shit.  But you are absolutely right.  The separation of church and state is a pipe dream as far as I’m concerned.  It’s supposed to be but just isn’t.

I’m a “used-to-be” religious person who still believes in God but not religion.  I got married by a non-denominational Reverend who was also a JP so I had a religious-civil ceremony (if you can call a party a ceremony.)

I really never thought of it the way you stated here but it’s true and you’re right.

If I ever needed an EMT, I’d want you because you are dedicated to people.  Dedicated might not mean “best” but it certainly ads a tenaciousness.  Or, if you want, dawggedness.

I it when you start talking/thinking.  It’s been a little while since you made one of your deep and thoughtful posts.

xxxooo

Bravo!  Very, very well written.  Your entire “In Conclusion” sums it up very well.  You have chosen this career.  If someone like a pharmacist lets their “morals” get in the way of doing their job, then as you said, they need to pick another career.

Very well said - I understand everything you wrote and agree with it. It amazes me that pharmacists who work fro certain companies ARE given the right to refuse to dispense certain medications/ prescriptions. I do have to say this, though - I am under the impression that pharmacists do sometimes second guess doctors, if one prescription would be harmful to another one previously prescribed. Pharmacists are also some of the first people to “catch” people with too many scripts for dangerous drugs, i.e, drug dealers or abusers.
Anyway, well said!

I am extremely in awe of this post.  Greatly thought out and very insightful.  A true joy to read.  One of the few posts that has made me think lately about my own position on the world around me.  Thank you for that.

Excellent post.

I was really surprised to learn (when I got CPR and First Aid certified through the Red Cross) that I can be sued if someone needs help and I leave.  But you know what?  I’m OK with that - I could never leave someone in need.  In a way, pharmacists not filling needed prescriptions is kind of the same/overlaps a little?

I am a proponent of euthanasia. I totally agree with this, for your very reason.

Excellent post.  Excellent.

Re:  what Sybil said, I always ask my pharmacist about drugs I’m prescribed and the one time way back when, I had birth control pills and penicillin, he told me that the antibiotic could affect the birth control and said TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR.  Which is pretty much all they should be doing unless there’s a deadly combo...in which case, they can call the doctor to ask.

Also, I was on a pill last year that is apparently popular with the druggies although I have no idea why.  I got it filled at Walgreens.  Then I got a new prescription for it at a higher dose, I brought it to the grocery store to have filled because it was convenient.  The pharmacist pitched a fit, treated me like an addict and/or dealer because the computer showed that I had filled a scrip with Walgeens.  Not one to be all quiet, I pulled the pill bottle (maybe 10 of them were left) out of my purse, threw them at him and asked him what about new prescription at a higher dose didn’t he understand.  The next time I went to the doctor, I mentioned it.  The doctor called the pharmacy right there and bitched them out.

As with everything, there’s good and bad in what they know.  Hell, I’m still pissed I have to show ID to get my freaking sudafed.

Best damn blog post in the history of posting entries in blogs.  *applauds wildly*.  I shared this in my Reader.  This would be a good one to mark as special and post again here and there in the future. Excellent.

Very well thought out and written.  I agree - if you go into the health care field, you need to be prepared to do what it takes to save lives, and check your religious beliefs at the door.

This was a great post and I agree with Poppy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every word of a well thought out, well worded article.

That was a very thought provoking and educational post. I didn’t know that about EMT’s and the like having to stop not matter what to help those in need. Makes sense but something I didn’t think about.

And thanks for the awesome job your and your fellow EMT’s do.

I would go one step further. I don’t believe private pharmacists have the right to refuse medications they don’t believe in.

For example, what if they “believe” that AIDS is God’s way punishing gay people and refuses to provide those people with a perscription for the cocktail.

I don’t believe that someone willing to go into any medicinal field should have the right to allow their own prejudices interfere with their duty to others.

Ugh! Miss Ann Thrope, I have definitely felt your pain for the Sudafed! I had to get Mucinex about a year ago - I did not realize it was even behind the counter, and I had to show my i.d! That made me feel all squicky and weird, like some sort of criminal. Not to mention, the shit didn’t even help me.

I have never had a pharmacist refuse me prescriptions, but I did have an OB/GYN refuse to write be a script for birth control pills because his religion did not support the use of said medication. 

I stopped seeing him and went to Planned Parenthood instead.

Did you know Hippocrates insisted his students study astrology based on his observations that certain relationships to celestial bodies drastically affected certain parts of the body?

To me? makes sense.  The body is what, 75% water?  The moon is strong enough to change tides, why not affect the water in our bodies, brains, hearts, etc?  More births on a full moon, etc. 

Hippocrates, for example, would never tolerate eye surgery when the Moon is in Aries.  I know several respected oncologists & surgeons who will follow the “Medicinal Astrology” but won’t admit it for fear of being laughed out of their gloves.  But they swear it works.

So, I wonder… hypothetically, if someone declined to do “life saving surgery” (in one person’s opinion) when the stars weren’t aligned, would you have them decertified as well?  In their minds, they’re “doing no harm”.

Maybe the pharmacist is doing the same thing.