The Spring 2006 issue of The Reporter (a publication of Population Connection) carried an article about how pharmacists across the country are not always treating birth control prescriptions the same way they treat other prescriptions. The reason why they are not is because they are morally opposed to filling them. This is the case, even if the person is prescribed the pill for acne (a common use of the pill). Many of these pharmacists are refusing to refer the customer to another pharmacy. Four states (Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Dakota) have laws or regulations that legally protect pharmacists who refuse to fill prescriptions. Illinois is the only state that requires pharmacists to ensure that prescriptions are filled, but a number of lawsuits are challenging this. 
It might be helpful in our health literacy classes to talk to our students about the possibility of pharmacists not filling our prescriptions, and to help them brainstorm ways to get a prescription filled if their regular pharmacy won't.
This topic may also be a great stimulus for learning vocabulary, oral pursuasion skills, and writing skills.
Daphne


Daphne Greenberg
Assistant Professor
Educational Psych. & Special Ed.
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3979
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu

Daphne Greenberg
Associate Director
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3977
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu