Testimony of Pharmacist Re: Wisconsin Assembly Bill 63

Although there is an extremely high demand for pharmacists in our state, I have had to be very selective as to where I am willing to work because I cannot go against my conscience. . . Although pharmacy jobs in the retail sector were generally plentiful . . . I accepted a position at a newly created pharmacy . . .that served only nursing home patients. . . . I actually would have preferred working in the retail sector but I didn't feel I had any protection if I requested to refrain from filling prescriptions that had abortifacient potential.

Good morning Chairman Reynolds and committee members. Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important bill. As a registered pharmacist in the state of Wisconsin, I firmly believe that we need a Conscience Clause for practicing pharmacists, who today are an integral part of the health care team. Because I believe that pharmacy is to be a totally life-saving profession, it goes against my conscience to dispense certain drugs which cause early abortion or intentional death of human life at any stage of development, including the elderly. Such drugs include many forms of contraception, including the birth control pill, contraceptive implants and injections, the pill used for "morning after" uses, and of course, the abortion drug mifepristone (RU-486). Although birth control pills are supposed to and often do prevent ovulation, it is still possible for breakthrough ovulation, and thus, fertilization to occur. It is further possible that the hormones in the pill may alter the woman's uterine lining so that implantation of a newly formed embryo cannot occur and the embryo dies, which to me is a very early abortion. Some pills are more likely to "work" this way (that is, prevent implantation) than others. However, such early abortions may occur with all types, including contraceptive implants and injections. Also, I need not go into detail about the abortion pill mifepristone, which currently cannot be dispensed at your local pharmacy but is clearly designed to terminate an established pregnancy.

I believe that life begins at conception, not just when it implants in the uterus or after it is born. Therefore, it goes against my conscience to dispense drugs that can terminate lives at their earliest beginnings. Likewise, if our state ever legalized euthanasia or assisted suicide, I would find it morally objectionable to dispense a drug to aid in a person's death.

I realize that not everyone agrees with my views on life issues. However, this isn't about me taking away somebody's "right" to obtain a certain drug, or me wanting to "harass" patients with my viewpoints. This isn't about making birth control pills unavailable to the general population of women, which Planned Parenthood would like you to believe. This is just about my right not to participate in an act that clearly goes against my conscience. We would not say that a physician who refuses to perform surgical abortions or a hospital that doesn't allow them is taking away someone's right to obtain one. We would allow them to refuse based on their moral, religious, or ethical convictions. Likewise, then, pharmacists should have the same right to not be forced to dispense abortifacient or other life-ending drugs, if they truly believe it conflicts with their mission of being in a totally life-saving profession. Yes, it would be easier for me to just dispense everything I am told to dispense but my conscience does not work that way.

Presently pharmacists have no protection against employment discrimination if they do not want to dispense drugs which have controversial mechanisms of action. Although there is an extremely high demand for pharmacists in our state, I have had to be very selective as to where I am willing to work because I cannot go against my conscience. Soon after I became licensed in this state, my husband and I moved to central Wisconsin where he had just accepted a job. Although pharmacy jobs in the retail sector were generally plentiful all around, I accepted a position at a newly created pharmacy in Stevens Point that served only nursing home patients. It was a 40 minute drive for me, but I knew I could work within my conscience at this pharmacy (thankfully we have not legalized euthanasia in this state). I actually would have preferred working in the retail sector but I didn't feel I had any protection if I requested to refrain from filling prescriptions that had abortifacient potential. I had interviewed for a store job in Wautoma prior to accepting the Stevens Point position and I did write a letter to my interviewer afterwards with my concern about dispensing such drugs, but he didn't seem to understand my position, telling me that pregnancy is defined as beginning at implantation. I didn't pursue this with him, however, because I soon found the nursing home position. Since then we have moved to southeastern Wisconsin and I am raising four young children. There are no nursing home positions fairly close to my home that I know of where I could work very part-time as I raise my children, although there are plenty of retail jobs close by.

There will always be difficult moral and ethical issues in the medical profession. Just because something may be legal does not make it morally right from every health professional's standpoint. I believe a pharmacist's job is to help preserve and enhance life, and that pharmacists should never be forced to do otherwise, against their own consciences.