Target refuses to fill Women's Health prescription

[Horse with no Name]

Imagine walking into a pharmacy with a prescription and being
told by the pharmacist, "I won't fill it. It's my right not to
fill it." Yes, it's outrageous, but this is exactly what
happened to a 26-year-old woman who presented a prescription for
emergency contraception at a Target in Fenton, MO, on September
30. Planned Parenthood is demanding that pharmacists dispense
medication, not moral judgment, and we need your voice to be
heard, too.

Contact Target and insist that every woman's pills be filled --
now!
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/fillmypillsnow_target2


Target has ignored three attempts by Planned Parenthood
Federation of America (PPFA) to determine their national policy
regarding pharmacists' refusal to fill valid, legal
prescriptions for birth control, including emergency
contraception. But they cannot ignore hundreds of thousands of
potential customers.



Pharmacies must ensure that women get their prescriptions filled
in-store, without discrimination or delay!

Karen Pearl
Interim President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
On behalf of the Planned Parenthood community

[MountainLaurel]

1. Oh fuck that.

Target gets a good deal of money from me, but no more until they make a stand for women's health.

[leeroysphitz]

41. Boycott Target? I'm IN.

I can do without Walmart and if this is Target's attitude towards reproductive freedom I'll do without them just as easily.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. If you're Tracie, you need to clear your private info before putting

in the first link.

[Horse with no Name]

3. got it

Thanks.

[terip64]

4. I think your info is coming up when I click on the link

you might want to edit you link to http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/fillmypillsnow_target2
so a blank form comes up instead. Thanks for posting!

[Horse with no Name]

6. Thanks.

Got that fixed. Didn't realize it did that.

[derby378]

5. Isn't Target owned by Dayton Hudson Industries?

Used to work at a Target 20 years ago as a cart-chaser. Ours didn't have a pharmacy that I can remember. But this is really bad. The damn pill's legal, fer cryin' out loud.

[Mairead]

40. They were, but I believe they no longer are.

I still shop there because of that former association, but I think I might finally stop now.

[noonwitch]

62. There is no more Dayton-Hudson Corporation

Target is a separate company now. They started out as part of that company, however.

Marshall Fields bought out Dayton Hudson about 5 or 6 years ago. Macy's (Federated Department Stores) recently bought out Marshall Fields. They will be changing all the store signs after the holiday season.

You remember the line from that Stallone movie "All restaurants are now Taco Bell"? I think in the future we're going to be down to about 5 store chains-Federated/Macy's, Nordstrom, Target, Walmart and Parisian. Or just Walmart. "All stores are now Walmart".

[insane_cratic_gal]

7. considering that a good 80 percent

of their market is women.. who support reproductive rights is somewhere in the mid to high 60% low 70% (a guess) you'd think they stop aiming that gun at their foot?

They are a red company anyway.. i'll gladly sign it and keep on with my Boycott of target

[whatever4]

8. Well, that's it for Target then, next? need a new store now nm

[Angry Girl]

9. No more shopping at Target for us!

I claimed to be GOP in the political party affiliation at the bottom.... Maybe it carries more weight with that stupid store...dunno.... Whatever happened to "Land of the Free"? I guess some people are freer than others....

[VelmaD]

10. Crap!

They were my alternative to Wal-Mart. Well, fuck 'em. I'm so tired of this misogynistic bullshit.

[emdee]

11. Another form of contact....

http://www.target.com/exec/obidos/handle-generic-form/ref=ref-tag/601-7936785-6789733?action=next%2dpage&target=help%2fself%2dservice%2demail%2dform%2ehtml&display=pha&browse=1041350&method=GET

emdee

[terip64]

12. contact them

Target Corporation. ... Contact Information. Address:, 1000 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN 55403. Phone:, 612-304-6073.

[donkeyotay]

13. What's good for the goose should be good for the gander

If pharmacists are worried about women's reproductive health at a conceptual - cellular - level, shouldn't they refuse to fill prescriptions for recreational ejaculation?

Or is it just me? Wave bu-bye to thousands of female customers, Target!

[Shallah Kali]

52. Exactly - deny Viagra, Cialis, etc. to unmarried men or men who don't

swear to use it only with their wives. Let's see how happy the males like Bob Dole who want to control women's lives like it when they can't get their little blue friend either!

[Talismom]

14. Eff 'em! I haven't shopped there yet and won't til they clean up

their act. Let's hear it for Costco and consignment shops!

[Bozita]

15. Costco has the lowest price on generic prescription drugs

Major market local TV station did an investigative report on drug pricing. Costco was lowest by far.

You need not be a member to use the pharmacy.

[MercutioATC]

16. My e-mail to Target:

I have been a long-time Target customer and was thrilled when you opened your new Avon Lake, Ohio store. However, an article caught my eye and I have some concerns.

Is it true that one of your pharmacists in Fenton, MO refused to fill a valid prescription for contraception? If this did, in fact, happen do you have a national policy giving your pharmacists the right to refuse to fill valid prescriptions due to their personal or religious beliefs?

I've enjoyed shopping at Target for years, but I cannot continue to do so with a clear conscience until I receive a response from you. If your national policy does allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions based on their personal beliefs, I won't be doing business with your company in the future.

Thank you for your time,


Maybe personalizing it (there IS an Avon Lake store where I occasionally shop) and sending it through the http://www.target.com/exec/obidos/handle-generic-form/ref=ref-tag/601-4756527-3597706?action=next%2dpage&target=help%2fself%2dservice%2demail%2dform%2ehtml&display=pha&browse=1041350&method=GET link instead of sending it as another generic protest letter will at least get it read...

We'll see...

[Cha]

77. Thanks! I don't shop at

either, walfart or target ..I try to do small businesses. It's very important to me to know my money goes to supporting Blue.

I don't do presciption drugs but does Kmart have any policies..never mind k mart is 100% RED. http://www.buyblue.org/node/1281/view/summary

Thank the Stars for Costco!


Buyblue has changed their format!

http://www.buyblue.org/

[converted_democrat]

17. No more Target for me!! I did the petition, and I'll gladly boycott! n/t

[Ikonoklast]

18. Needs to be reported to the State Pharmacy Board

What if that pharmacist said no to Black peoples' medicine because he was a racist? Or won't sell pain killing medication because he feels that suffering is good for the soul? How about doing the job that you were trained and hired to do without the personal input?

At the store where I get our prescriptions filled, the owners put up a sign that states that it is store policy to fill all valid prescriptions and if there is any problem with that to ask for the store manager immediately.

I asked the pharmacist about it and he said that he would be fired on the spot for putting his personal beliefs before a customers' needs. It was one of the things agreed to when he was hired, and he had to sign off that he understood and would follow the guidelines.

[Jo March]

35. I borrowed some of your words, Ikonoklast

I emailed the following using their online feedback form. :)

"I am a long-time Target shopper. As such, I was outraged when I heard that your Target store in Fenton, MO refused to fill a woman's prescription for emergency contraception.

The job of pharmacists is to dispense medication, not moral judgment. Every woman has the right to go to a store and have her prescription for contraception filled. By refusing, the pharmacist is usurping the doctor's authority to prescribe medication!

Birth control pills, including emergency contraception, are LEGAL. As such, there should be no problem with dispensing them.

If the pharmacist has a problem with black people, can he/she refuse to dispense medication to them? What about painkillers? What if the pharmacist believes in suffering in silence? If the question is about morality, will the pharmacies no longer fill prescriptions for Viagra and other drugs that help men get erections? Will your store no longer sell condoms or spermicide?

How dare the pharmacist put his/her beliefs before the patient's needs??

I cannot believe that Target condones or allows this. I look forward to hearing a response on this. If this is the way that Target believes, then I will have to stop shopping at your store."

[progressoid]

19. Godammit, Target too?

Walmart, Walgreens, Target. I guess it's time to move to Canada.

[Chi-Town Exile]

21. What's the deal with Walgreens? Same issue? nt

[progressoid]

23. Yep!

Here's something from Illinois, but I have a memory of another somewhere in the south/southwest.

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/12656248.htm

[Chi-Town Exile]

33. Thank You!

The article was informative and still gives me a little comfort that Walgreens dictates that a Pharmacist that is morally opposed to filling a prescription must get another Pharmacist to fill it.

My Walgreens is 24 Hours and is really close to my house and the Pharmacists know me by name! LOL

But ... Target ... that's another story. I stood behind their decision to not allow the Salvation Army (stupid Homophobes)to collect in front of their stores last Christmas (boy did they catch flack down here in Flying Monkey Right-wing land) so I thought they were cool. I will need to watch this situation closely to see what they do.

You know, just a comment, but Pharmacists that are MORALLY oppossed to specific drugs should really find another line of work. They really piss me off!

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

39. But a Milwaukee Walgreens customer says she wasn't given the option

to wait for another pharmacist, and ended up having an abortion:

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/news/4454234/detail.html

I had a very unsatisfactory e-mail exchange with a Walgreens rep over this story and as a result I have switched to Osco Drugs.

I have not seen any follow-up to this story so I don't know if Jane Doe pursued her lawsuit, nor do I know who was telling the truth in this instance. I can't automatically assume the customer's version was true.

But even the option to wait for a different pharmacist is unacceptable. The Milwaukee customer told the TV station that such customers would have to wait until the next pharmacist came on at 2pm. What if a customer's schedule doesn't accommodate coming back at a later time? (Jane Doe has five kids already, I'll bet her day is booked.) What if the next pharmacist is also anti-choice?

Every Walgreens I've ever been in sells cigarettes. Many of them sell alcohol. They obviously don't have a problem giving consumers the choice to buy these products, and I've never heard of a clerk refusing to ring up such purchases. (I bet they'd be fired if they did.) But they allow their professional staff to pick and choose among the responsibilities their job requires them to do. Screw Walgreens, and Walmart, and Target.

[Chi-Town Exile]

66. Thanks for the link, I remember this one now ...

It's frustrating.

I'd say we need some type of legislation but then it will be argued that the rights of the Pharmacist are being denied.

However, what about the rights of the Patient?

This stuff has really got out of hand, any ideas on how we fix it? If the companies refuse to take the step of compelling their employees to fill ANY prescription no matter what for fear of litigation, what's the solution?

[kath]

47. What about CVS (used to be Eckerd's)?

[Chi-Town Exile]

20. Shit! Now Target?

I'd shop at Costco all the time if I could, but they don't carry everything I need.

We've already stopped shopping at Wal-Mart and let our Sam's Club membership expire.

Where the heck can I shop?

[Beaverhausen]

24. I know...I love Target too!

hopefully this campaign will make them rethink their policy.

[insane_cratic_gal]

28. and their political contributions

$36,380 to Democrats
$181,060 to Republicans
$0 to Others
$217,439 in Total Contributions

maybe they will donate 50/50 next time or not at all.

[davidinalameda]

31. let's remember that these contributions don't come from the company itself

but from the employees who have listed Target as their employer on the forms, and these are only donations that are large enough to be listed

[insane_cratic_gal]

32. They come from the CEO etc.

Robert J. Ulrich - Chairman and CEO, Target Corporation and Target Stores 28k

Douglas A. Scovanner - EVP and CFO 5k

Gerald L. Storch - Vice Chairman 4k

Todd V. Blackwell - EVP, Human Resources and Assets Protection; Chairman, The Associated Merchandising Corporation 3,200

Gregg W. Steinhafel - President, Target Stores 2,000

Timothy R. Baer - Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary 2,000


In 1998 they had a 46% donation rate to Dems.. that has down shifted to 21% in the 2004
The switch from reps get a climb from 54%in 1998 to 78% in 2004.

So while it might not be the store managers and employees, which have fair policies for their employees.

Some of the ass hats at the top know where their bread is buttered.

[FlaGranny]

22. Perhaps this pharmacist

should wear a sign around his neck while he is on duty that he has religious objections to you receiving medical care he doesn't approve of, and perhaps he should not be permitted to be the only pharmacist on duty. Or maybe he should start his own pharmacy - he could name it Pfundy Pharmacy. The slogan under the name could be: "My personal religious beliefs trump your physician's advice."

Edit: I very much doubt that Christian Scientists become pharmacists, so why did he?

[knitter4democracy]

25. E-mailed them of my boycott.

I had started using their Method cleaners, but screw that! I'm sick of women getting the shaft from these corporations!

[Virginian]

51. Method is sold in some other stores.

I got mine at Wegmann's. It's a grocery chain.

[knitter4democracy]

59. I'll have to look for it.

Thanks for the heads-up. I've also tried that Mrs. Myers stuff (best fabric softener ever), and I know I can get that at my good grocery store. I'll just try the other stuff in that line.

[gauguin57]

73. Where is your Wegman's? In what town?

I've shopped at Wegman's in other towns, and just LOVE LOVE LOVE it ... I wish we'd get one in Lancaster County, PA!

[really annoyed]

26. Screw that!

No more Target for me!

And I will sign the petition and send it along to my friends.

[Flying Dream Blues]

27. Done. I hope lots of the male gender is also sending this. :)

[Miss Chybil]

29. Done and forwarded. nt

[BrklynLiberal]

30. Recommended and sent to everyone on my email list.

[ananda]

34. Oh gawd.. now I have to boycott Target!

Geeez, I thought Target was OK.

Damm and double damm.

Sue

[CrispyQ]

36. Signed petition, went to their site, sent an email comment

& will follow up with a snail mail letter to corporate & the 5 local Target's near me.

Also sending this link to friends & family! I hope Target loses lots of business over this. I love their stores, but I love my reproductive freedom more!

[Czolgosz]

37. done, kicked, recommended

[FormerRepublican]

38. The disturbing part of this idiocy is that BC pills are often prescribed..

...for other things. Bleeding problems, for example. Or any hormone related problem. Birth Control pills are a good way to regulate hormones when something goes amiss that causes physical problems.

In effect, when they say they won't fill my birth control prescription, they are saying that it's OK for me to die from hemorrhage in support of THEIR morals! Yet another 'we don't care if women die' argument in support of extremist anti-abortionism.

What the heck does my PHARMACIST know about my particular medical condition and why I might need hormone pills?!! Aren't they practicing medicine without a license when they refuse to fill my prescription?

[lakemonster11]

58. Exactly!

Of my friends who are on birth control, I'd say *at least* half aren't having sex (and about half of those that are are married or engaged, although I guess that wouldn't matter to these types :crazy:). I have friends who take it because of terrible cramping or ovarian cysts, because they have a septated uterus, or even to control skin problems or to help regulate their cycle.

[lies and propaganda]

42. This is EXACTLY why i boycott CVS

and it lloks like, much as it pains me to do it, wil be boycotting Target unless they change their procedures.

[sniffa]

43. this is a dangerous game to pLay

oh, you voted for bush? sorry, it's against my moraL judgement to give you your cancer medication.

[dogday]

44. I just called their Corporate Headquarters and

told the supervisor I did not think that their policy was right. That is offensive to be judged by anyone there and a customer and especially a woman should not be targeted that way. They gave me their bullshit response, but I told him I thought Target took a wrong turn at Albuquerque, just like Bugs bunny does..

[Aimah]

45. People with Issues

People with issues like this should chose their professions wisely. If you are insanely pro-life and know that you will have to prescribe birth control pills then maybe these people should find another profession.

[mondo joe]

46. Absolutely. Live your religion. But don't demand others pay the price

for it.

[knitter4democracy]

71. Exactly!

How would they like it if others did the same to them? Like a Buddhist or Hindi believer getting a job at McDonalds and refusing to sell anything made from animals? You know that'd be all over the right wing air waves in minutes.

If they don't want people using the meds out there, they shouldn't be pharmacists or doctors.

[DanCa]

48. I thought this crap was stopped? Note T shirt Idea

Your Church Stops Here - Emblazed in red flames across chest.

[Maat]

49. Here's my question though:

what does a chain do if there is a 'conscience law' such as the one in California? My understanding is that a store may NOT discriminate, discipine, and/or fire an pharmacist-employee for declining to fill a prescription. So, it would not be the store's fault.

Out here, I do patronize my local pharmacist, because their rule is that should an employee fail to fill a prescription, that employee must quietly pass the script to another pharmacist, arrange for another pharmacist to fill it immediately, and perhaps deliver it to the customer's home. That's probably the best that they can do in view of the law. However, my pharmacist has made it clear to me that the prescriptions WILL be filled - promptly.

My prescription IS for the birth control pill - only it is not used for birth control - I need it for medical reasons!

[donkeyotay]

60. Other professions should get a "conscience law" too

Like Dick Cheney's heart surgeon should have been able to opt out... preferably in the middle of surgery.

[Maat]

69. HeeHee. Absolutely. Let us suggest the legislation (n/t).

All I'm saying is that I blame a chain when they permit their pharmacists to do this on their own ... not so much when they are required to do so by law. Then I have to research a bit more.

[NoSheep]

50. godblessamerica.

[Behind the Aegis]

53. Is this ALL Targets or this ONE particular one?

Before everyone starts the "boycott" chant, what needs to be known is this a Target company policy, an store-by-store decision, or a "renegade" pharmacist? Does anyone know this?

[maddezmom]

54. good question

hope we can find out the answer....I like Target.

[eridani]

55. Planned Parenthood is trying to collect that info

It pretty much has to be a city by city, state by state investigation fuelled by lots of people asking questions and reporting the answers.

[pinniped]

56. Why the hell even carry the pills?

One has to assume Target carried it because the ahole said he refused to fill it. Had they not carried it, would the ahole say they didn't carry it?

Do they carry it and are all the pharmacists anti-emergency contraception pill?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

57. If pharmacists want to play doctor...

then maybe they should have gone to medical school.

[Fescue4u]

74. Actually they are doctors

And they did go to school for medicine (obviously not the same as medical school)

I've got a pharmacist in my family. She's very liberal but she says that she absolutely has right..and the responsibility to refuse to fill a prescription if she feels thats the right thing to do.

Lets use a non political example.

Customer comes in with a script for medicine "X" from Doc Smith.

Example a: Pharmacist reviews records and sees that customer is also using medicine "Y" from Doc Jones (or maybe even Doc Smith). Medicine X and Medicine Y are fine medicines, but when taken together cause severe problems.

Example b: Customer comes with a script for medicine "q". Customer is a known town alcoholic, has liquor on his breath at the counter and smells like a brewery. Medicine "q" has severe reactions with taken with alcohol.

Guess what? In both cases, Pharmacist have moral and legal responsibility to refuse to fill those script.

Back to politics.

In the case of birth control or abortion pills, pharmacist are taking their inherent legal and moral responsibility somewhat further to cover their point of view (and doctors use their point of view for every decision)

Is that wrong? Yea it proably is. Is it their legal and moral perogative? Yes it is.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

75. They're not M.D.s is what I mean.

And refusing to fill prescriptions because of possible adverse effects is very different than refusing BC pills because of "morals."

If the prescription will not adversely affect the patient, pharmacists have to fill it.

[TNOE]

61. Here's The Reply E-mail I Received:

Dear Target Guest,



Target places a high priority on our role as a community pharmacy and our obligation to meet the needs of the patients we serve. We expect all our team members, including our pharmacists, to provide respectful service to our guests, particularly when it comes to their health care needs.



Like many other retailers, Target has a policy that ensures a guest’s prescription for emergency contraception is filled, whether at Target or at a different pharmacy, in a timely and respectful manner. This policy meets the health care needs of our guests while respecting the diversity of our team members.



Your thoughts help us learn more about what our guests expect, so I’ll be sure to share your feedback with our pharmacy executives.



Thanks for taking the time to share your questions, thoughts and comments. I hope we’ll see you again soon at Target.



Sincerely,



Jennifer Hanson

Target Executive Offices

[emdee]

68. I got the same response....

what does this sentence mean, "Target has a policy that ensures a guest’s prescription for emergency contraception is filled, whether at Target or at a different pharmacy"?

The next thing will be a Scientologist pharmacist who refuses to fill drugs from psychiatrists!

I refuse to debate with my pharmacist something that my doctor and I have agreed on! This outrages me - and I had a hysterectomy in 1996! It outrages me, first of all, for anyone who walks in with a prescription and can't get it filled. And, secondly, what will be next? Especially with the NeoCon attitude (YOU should seek MY approval for all that you do) of many lately?

emdee

[Coexist]

63. Done - I actually switched my script from Walgreen's TO Target

because the Walgreen's pharmacist gave me a hard time about it. I specifically ASKED the Target pharmacist what their policy was before handing over my prescription. I cannot believe this.

[Rainscents]

64. Kick!

[Bridget Burke]

65. I sent the message & hope to hear Target's policy.

This may have been the action of one pharmacist. But Target needs to set standards.

I won't boycott Target yet. But I don't shop there very often since I always end up buying more than I need. Nice stores--hope they can make their policies match.

[DefenseLawyer]

67. I like Bill Maher's take:

"More and more American pharmacists are refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control because of their personal moral objections. Hey, you know what would really teach us a lesson? If you took off your pretend doctor jacket and got another job."

[knitter4democracy]

70. Here's the response I got:

Dear Target Guest,

Target places a high priority on our role as a community pharmacy and our obligation to meet the needs of the patients we serve. We expect all our team members, including our pharmacists, to provide respectful service to our guests, particularly when it comes to their health care needs.

Like many other retailers, Target has a policy that ensures a guest’s prescription for emergency contraception is filled, whether at Target or at a different pharmacy, in a timely and respectful manner. This policy meets the health care needs of our guests while respecting the diversity of our team members.

Your thoughts help us learn more about what our guests expect, so I’ll be sure to share your feedback with our pharmacy executives.

Thanks for taking the time to share your questions, thoughts and comments. I hope we’ll see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hanson
Target Executive Offices


I e-mailed back and asked that the pharmacist be reprimanded and that they contact Planned Parenthood and let them know what's going on.

[ozarkvet]

72. Freepers Already Boycotting Target

Seems Target does not allow the Salvation Army on the property b/c of its policies regarding homosexuals (not sure what the problem is).

Freepers are already boycotting as a result.

Who was it that said that the political spectrum is really a circle and the two extremes often join the same cause for different reasons?

[Oeditpus Rex]

76. Target doesn't allow any non-profits

to raise funds or campaign or whatever in front of its stores. They're being fair by being equally unfair. (Actually, it's probably that they've gotten enough complaints from customers to ban it outright.)

I have a problem, though. If I don't shop at Target, then I have to go to kmart (and their stuff is crap) or drive 20 miles.

Really — that's all we have in this town of 36,000. Target and kmart.

What to do, what to do? :shrug: