February 14, 2006
The state pharmacy board ordered Wal-Mart on Tuesday to stock emergency contraception pills at its stores in Massachusetts.Massachusetts becomes second state to require the world's largest retailer to carry the morning-after pill.
A Wal-Mart spokesman said the company would comply with the directive by the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy and is reviewing its nationwide policy on the drug.
"Clearly women's health is a high priority for Wal-Mart," spokesman Dan Fogleman said. "We are actively thinking through the issue."
Wal-Mart now carries the pill only in Illinois, where it is required to do so under state law. The company has said it "chooses not to carry many products for business reasons," but has refused to elaborate.
The unanimous decision by the pharmacy board comes two weeks after three women, backed by abortion rights groups, sued Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart for failing to carry the drug in its 44 Wal-Marts and four Sam's Club stores in Massachusetts.
The women had argued that state policy requires pharmacies to provide all "commonly prescribed medicines."
The morning-after pill provides a high dose of hormones that women can take up to five days after sex to prevent pregnancy. Some abortion opponents believe emergency contraception is a form of abortion because it blocks the fertilized egg from being implanted on the uterine wall.
It is not a case of "believes". That is what the drug does.
So I guess that means that in Massachusetts, a woman is the ONLY one with freedom of choice. Others cannot refuse to participate in the distribution of what is nothing less than a human pesticide.
Here's hoping that Wal-mart has the corporate will and financial muscle to fprce the phamacy board to back down -- or, barring that, to shut down every phamacy in Massachusetts and Illinois.
Posted by: Greg at
05:46 PM
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Posted by: Jesus at Wed Feb 15 07:56:33 2006 (iTdof)
Posted by: Ronson LeVau at Wed Feb 15 10:04:50 2006 (tBLyx)
And while mom-and-pop pharmacies have closed due to corporate phamacies, I give you places like CVS, Walgreens, and most major grocery chains as alternatives.
As far as my having or not having children, my wife and I struggled through multiple miscarriages in the early years of our marriage. We had to give up on the adoption route after my wife became seriously ill. I would suggest to you that you NOT go that direction again if you wish to continue posting here.
And Ronson, as far as the price of the pills is concerned, insurance or medicaid would generally cover teh cost, so that would be no obstacle.
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at Wed Feb 15 11:25:50 2006 (bNDPz)
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