Hmmm, perhaps quackery was too strong a word in expressing my sentiment. I dunno, it just seems.... unprofessional perhaps... to put a patient through the routine of making an appointment and sitting in a waiting room and perhaps even going thorugh an examination routine before making known an uncommon ( and still controversial) stance on a quite commonly prescribed medication.

It also seems even more unprofessional for a pharmacist to refuse to dispense medicine.

Hmm, anyway..interesting and thought-worthy replys all-around! I find myself in agreeance with fellow forum-dwellers I may usually disagree with on other topics and it is a good start to a topic concerning the "A" word.

I did hope the unique slant of the topic would keep the discussion in the safe areas rather than another pitched battle of the 'pro' vs 'anti'! I am sort of relieved that so far is so good! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Best Regards,

I would scream if a doctor refused to prescribe me the pill.
I would scream because I need the pill for my acne...and various other reasons.
I don't think that it is right that doctors should refuse to do that, it is the patient's own choice as to whether or not she doesn't want to get pregnant, or whatnot.

Chewy, some women don't tell the doctor in advance what they want. I was on the pill for less than a year and had it prescribed AFTER a routine checkup and discussion with my doctor who didn't know that was one of the things I'd bring up until the appointment was nearly over.

So I don't think doctor's are deliberately deceiving patients by going through it all knowing in advance what the patient wants is something they'll refuse. If some are.. well, I think that they should say up front to the patient that if that's what they want, it won't be prescribed. But again, I doubt they are out to get anyone like that.

And I agree, the pharmacist should do his/her job and dispense what the doctor prescribes.

General note to all...yes, please keep off the religion topic as tempting as it may be in this debate.

In most western countries, there's at least a 4 year study (6 years in the Netherlands) involved before a pharmacist is allowed to practice his/her job.

Not surprisingly, it consists of more than taking the pillboxes the doctor prescribed off the shelves and selling them.

One aspect is checking to see if the prescription is correct. What is the proper dose to administer, the right length of time, how will this interact with other medicine already being used by the patient, is there a better alternative?

They are well within rights to change this prescription, usually after phoning the doctor to hear his/her reasoning. After all, in very broad lines, doctors are trained to know about afflictions, pharmacists are taught about the cures. There is a lot of communication and cooperation between them, even if most patients only ever speak at length with their doctors.

In addition, pharmacists are not required to store every kind of medicine available any more than a bookshop must have a copy of each book ever written.

That said, I don't think a drug as widely used and accepted as 'the' Pill shouldn't be part of a pharmacist's range any more than aspirin ought be lacking. But perhaps that is because I don't see a problem with 'aborting' a 3-day old fertilised egg cell myself.

Chalk it up to additional evidence of our descent into the next Dark Age. Sometimes human societies choose to devolve over time, lessening their knowledge and becoming more reliant on myth, religion, faith, and fear. In the current beginnings of our descent, it is clear that the source of our slouching toward Bethlehem will likely begin in Texas, which was not so much of a threat until Texas took the national stage and came to America's helm. I know that in preparation for the new era, I'm sending my third son to the priesthood so we'll have at least one pardoner/inquisitor in the family.

Aaaackkk, NOOOO!!!

Let's keep this thread *purely* on topic, so it doesn't denigrate into another battle of attrition between the Republican and Democrat supporters. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I know you've got your eyes rolling and most of your tongue in your cheek, Timber, but attempts at humour always seem to go awry in this forum...