Arizona Senate Approves Bill To Permit Pharmacists To Refuse To Dispense Contraceptives for Moral, Religious Reasons

The Arizona Senate on Wednesday approved 17-11 a bill... (SB 1485) that would allow pharmacists, health professionals and anyone employed by a health professional to decline to dispense prescription contraceptives, including emergency contraception, or drugs prescribed for sterilization or abortion if they oppose their use for moral or religious reasons, the AP/Arizona Republic reports (AP/Arizona Republic, 4/6). Under the measure, which is sponsored by state Sen. Dean Martin (R), health professionals would have to state their moral objections in writing and would be exempt from any disciplinary action as a result of their refusal to provide certain services or medications. Current state law exempts health professionals from participating in abortion procedures if they are morally opposed, but the law does not explicitly apply to pharmacists (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/16). The state House voted 35-24 to approve the measure in February. The bill now goes to Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), who supports abortion rights and believes the bill is a "way to deny legal drugs to consumers," according to the AP/Republic. "You can safely say I view a refusal-to-sell bill with great skepticism," Napolitano said (AP/Arizona Republic, 4/6).


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