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A woman was denied medication for her miscarriage by a Peoria, Arizona Walgreens last week after her baby stopped developing two months into the pregnancy. In a lengthy Facebook post which has now been shared about 35,000 times, Nicole Mone details how she was given two options by her doctor to induce miscarriage: a “D & C” dilation and curettage surgical procedure to remove tissue from the uterus, or or prescription medication that would help induce bleeding and discharge in the comfort of her home. Naturally, she chose the medication.
However when she went to pick up her prescription Mone experienced something “no woman should ever have to go through,” especially given the circumstances.
Last night I went to pick up my medication at my local Walgreens only to be denied the prescription I need. I stood at the mercy of this pharmacist explaining my situation in front of my 7 year old, and five customers standing behind only to be denied because of his ethical beliefs. I get it we all have our beliefs. But what he failed to understand is this isn’t the situation I had hoped for, this isn’t something I wanted. This is something I have zero control over. He has no idea what its like to want nothing more than to carry a child to full term and be unable to do so.
Mone continued that she left the Walgreens in tears, ashamed and humiliated. She also left a one-star review on the Walgreen location’s Yelp page.
Unfortunately, Arizona is one of six states where pharmacists can legally refuse to dispense emergency contraception drugs.
Under state law, Arizona pharmacies must require employees to notify them of drugs they would decline to fill because of “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
“On receiving this notification, the pharmacy must attempt to accommodate the employee if the accommodation can be made without causing undue hardship to the pharmacy or its customers.”
The pharmacist, Brian H., did indeed transfer Mone’s prescription to another Walgreens across town and she was eventually able to pick it up without a problem. She also writes that she contacted the store manager “who did not seem happy about what had happened,” as well as Walgreens corporate office. She also filed a complaint with the Arizona Board of Pharmacy.
Regardless of what happens with Mone’s complaint, the court of public opinion has already spoken and, given the especially cruel circumstances of the situation, Walgreens is getting dragged on social media. The chain has attempted damage control by responding to some of the thousands of angry tweets, but suffice to say it doesn’t seem to be working.
How long would it take me to become a Walgreens pharmacist? I want to see the looks on men’s faces when I ask them loudly in front of other customers if they’re impotent and then refuse to prescribe erectile dysfunction drugs because I’m morally opposed. https://t.co/oBxHpqIHug
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) June 24, 2018
I’m sorry I’m just having a really hard time understanding how it’s okay for a Walgreens pharmacist to arbitrarily deny service to a customer but it’s not okay for a restaurant owner to do it
— Helen Rosner (@hels) June 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/sahluwal/status/1011065510505713664
FYI, @Walgreens lets their pharmacists decline to fill scrips, which ONLY affects women. Pharmacists don't decline to fill scrips for ED drugs.
It seems they allow their pharmacists to humiliate customers too.
Let's all take our business elsewhere. #boycottwalgreens #boycott https://t.co/Ci9WlgcdYb
— Leia🌻 (@TheSWPrincess) June 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/GovHowardDean/status/1011079664671084544
https://twitter.com/SmartAssJen/status/1011005261035663360
That is one of the dumbest things that I have ever heard in my life. It’s a prescription! I will never shop at your store again. @Walgreens https://t.co/9vD3VHZXQc
— DB Woodside (@dbwofficial) June 24, 2018
Just FYI, @Walgreens allows their pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions on moral grounds. Funny how it’s always women’s birth control that’s denied and never something like…viagra.
— emilyclairegoldman@bhre.social (@mle_goldman) June 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/LesleyAnnBrandt/status/1011057519542689793
Whether or not the public outcry will be enough for Walgreens to change its policy remains to be seen, but for now, this is not a great look for the company.
(Via CNN)