An actual judge stands up for women

This week a Barron County circuit Judge rightly upheld the sanctions against a pharmacist that not only refused to fill a woman's birth control prescription, he refused to transfer it elsewhere so she could get it filled. The pharmacist decided that his personal judgment is the law of the land. An actual judge says he is wrong. The Madison Capital Times reports:

The board reprimanded Noesen, of St. Paul, Minn., and ordered him to attend ethics classes. He will get to keep his license if he informs all future employers in writing he won't dispense birth control pills and the steps he would take to make sure a patient has access to medication. He was also found liable for the cost of the proceedings against him, which came to about $20,000.

This is a victory not only for women in Wisconsin, it is a victory for everyone that consumes prescription medication. Allowing any medical professional to judge what a patient is going to do for medical treatment is truly a prescription for disaster. The pharmacist in this case asked a University of Wisconsin-Stout student if she was going to use the pills prescribed to her for birth control. When she said yes, he refused to fill them. Do you want to answer personal questions when you get your prescriptions filled?

How about these questions then?

Sir, this Viagra prescription you have, are you going to use it to have sex with your wife or with your mistress? Sorry, if you can't prove to me you are only going to have sex with your wife, I can't fill this prescription.

Miss, are you going to use this antibiotic to treat an infection you received from committing adultery or something else? Sorry, if you think it is none of my business, I can't help you because I think it is my business.

Sir, this painkiller medication is for use after your vasectomy operation isn't it? Sorry, you will have to suffer in pain then because I don't believe you should stop having children unless God thinks you should, even if you think you can't afford anymore children. What I think is more important here.

Miss, this medication for your child, it was developed using animals and I am against using animals for research so I can't fill this for you.

Sir, this prescription for depression is from a psychiatrist and Tom Cruise and I don't believe in psychiatry so I can't help you. You should just pray more.

The religious right and the legislators that bow down to them and introduce legislation like AB 207 to let medical 'professionals' judge patients medical choices are saying that questions like these are ok. Today the fight may be about birth control pills and that may seem like it is not a big deal to anyone that doesn't use birth control pills, but where does this all stop?

If stem cell research comes up with a cure for diabetes or Parkinson disease, should doctors be able to deny a patient that treatment? This bill say yes. Should sick patients really be forced to travel to other states to get treatments they need? This bill says yes.

Want to know which legislators think your doctors should be able to deny you treatment and pharmacists should be able to ask embarrassing personal questions? Go here. And then call them and let them know that this bill is not just about birth control and abortions, it's about your right to the medical treatment and prescriptions you need in the future.