Conscience Clauses in Healthcare: Balancing Rights & Responsibilities

Question
Hi. My question is do you think that pharmacists and doctors should be able to refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control/abortion pill? Or to treat sexually active women who are unmarried? I'm talking about the debate over conscience clauses.

I am not saying that I am against birth control or abortion. I agree that should be the woman's choice. But at the same time, is it right to force a doctor/nurse to do something they personally feel is immoral? What about their rights? If for example, a doctor really feels abortion is murder(whether we agree with him/her or not) isn't it wrong to force him/her to do it? Thanks.

Ronnie

Answer
Hi Ronnie :)

They aren't forced to. Without the conscience clauses, a doctor can refuse to perform the procedure or treat the woman-same with the pharmacist. It IS required that they find another pharmacists/physician to serve the patient. The CC make it so they don't have to call over the other pharmacists or another doctor-the woman is left on her own. I know of a woman who had to travel 36 miles to another pharmacy. In states/rural areas where there are few providers, the CC cause a lot of harm to women.