Profession
Pharmacist's refusal to dispense contraceptives costs him $20,000
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 9, 2005
The Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining board ordered Neil Noesen to pay $20,000 in legal and administrative costs and take six hours of continuing education in pharmacy practice and ethics as a consequence of refusing to fill a woman's contraceptive prescription at a Menomonie, Wis., Kmart in July 2002 and then refusing to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy.
At a state Dept. of Regulation and Licensing hearing held October 2004, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Noesen said he refused to fill the prescription because he did not want to commit a sin against his Catholic religious beliefs.
At the pharmacy board's April 13 hearing, Green Bay pharmacist and board Chair Michael Bettiga told Noesen "You can exercise your belief, but you have to make sure there is continuance of care."
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/05/09/prbf0509.htm.
