Pro-Life Pharmacy Celebrates Anniversary
One of the most prominent pharmacy agencies in California celebrated its anniversary status Sunday as the only pro-life pharmacy in the state of California.
Brent Watson, pharmacy director and owner of Central Coast Pharmacy Specialists in Templeton, Calif., said that his pharmacy had made the decision – in open defiance to Big Drug and Insurance Companies – to stop issuing birth control pills, the so called "morning after pill," and other medication that could be used for an abortion.
"It's not good medicine," Watson said in a statement.
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Watson explained that contraceptives are harmful to patients and "block the implantation of early human life."
"[T]his puts pharmacists in direct conflict with their profession when forced to dispense against their conscience and professional promise to 'do no harm' to patients. We want patients to know we are a pro-patient, healing only pharmacy that provides compounded medications individually made to fit the specific needs of each patient one prescription at a time," he said.
According to Watson, the harmful effects of contraceptives are noted even by the FDA, which requires patients to sign a disclosure before taking oral contraceptives.
Watson said that he was proud that his pharmacy could be among the few openly pro-life pharmacies in the nation while many other pharmacists continue to face persecution by employers because of their pro-life views.
In one such case, Neil Noesen of Wis., a devout Roman Catholic, was punished with over $20,000 in court fines and restrictions on his license for refusing to hand a patient prescription that could be used for an abortion in 2002.
Sunday marked Central Coast Pharmacy Specialists' first year of "conflict free pharmacy." The pharmacy is nationally accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) and formally recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as adhering to "quality and practice standards."
