The
Catholic Weekly
Online
Sydney
18 January 2004
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Pharmacists saying ‘no’ to sale of pill
John Wilks
will not sell Postinor-2 at his pharmacy in Seven Hills.
Photo courtesy of the Blacktown Sun
By Marilyn Rodrigues
Some pharmacists are declining to stock the ‘morning after pill’, Postinor-2 – now available without a prescription – because of the risk that they will be held responsible if it results in injury to users.
John Wilks, a consultant pharmacist, has prepared a leaflet for his pharmacy in Seven Hills explaining why they are not selling the drug. The reasons include the increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy or abortion, and blood clotting for people who are predisposed to the condition.
“ A key point of the professional standards of conduct developed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is that pharmacists should not give out a medication if they consider it dangerous to a patient,” he says.
“ We are not selling it because of the medical dangers for the woman, and the unseen patient, the human embryo.
“ A number of pharmacists I have spoken to in my area will also not be stocking it for that reason, and as well there is the legal aspect; they feel they will not be able to meet the standards of privacy and will be solely liable if something goes wrong.
“ This will have a catastrophic impact on the cost of insurance for pharmacies. I think there should be a two-tiered approach to insurance, one fee for those selling Postinor-2 and one for those who are not.”
Postinor-2, a two-tablet pack containing 750 micrograms of the drug levonorgestrel, has been available at pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription since the beginning of January.
Women are required to consult the pharmacist before purchasing the drug, who is then expected to provide confidential counselling about the dosage, drug interactions, side effects, the possibility of ectopic pregnancy and contraceptive advice.
Pharmacists should also ask women questions about the timing
of their last period and unprotected intercourse to eliminate
the
possibility
they might already be pregnant.
Mr Wilks says this is impractical in most community pharmacies,
which are not set up to provide a private consulting area.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has also asked pharmacists
to report suspected cases of sexual assault to the police and
refer the
woman to a doctor or specialist sexual assault centre. For girls
under the age of 16, pharmacists are warned it is their “duty of care” to
try to facilitate an urgent appointment at a children’s hospital,
family planning clinic or doctor.
Also, says Mr Wilks, under the guidelines Postinor-2 can’t be sold
to a male “because he can’t answer the questions that are
required”.
Catherine Cotton, of NSW Right to Life, says that Postinor-2 has been misrepresented as an emergency contraceptive.
“ There is a moral and medical difference between treating a headache and terminating a pregnancy, and yet both will now be able to be accomplished at pharmacies across the country,” she says.