For some time, access to contraception has been very difficult. Some pharmacies do not sell birth control pills, and pharmacists use the conscience clause. Now another ban is being prepared. The pharmacist is demanding the right to refuse to sell condoms as well.
Such an initiative came from the Association of Catholic Pharmacists of Poland. Members demand the right to refuse to dispense all contraceptives, including condoms. The driving force behind the postulate, which had already hit the desk of the Minister of Health, was the answer given by Deputy Minister of Health, Marcin Czech, to Nowoczesna’s interpellation. In his opinion, pharmacists cannot invoke the conscience clause, as such a provision is not included in Polish law.
On the patient’s side?
Theoretically, the law is on the patient’s side. Since most contraceptives can only be purchased at the pharmacy, the pharmacist has no right not to dispense the drug. But there are exceptions to every rule. In the light of the applicable law, refusal to release the preparation is justified only in some cases, including when there is a suspicion that the prescription is counterfeit, that the drug will be used improperly, or the person who wants to buy it is under 13 years of age.
Will the letter that has just hit the desk of the Minister of Health make access to contraception even more difficult? The ministry does not provide an unambiguous answer to this question. In the reply sent to the editorial office, Milena Kruszewska, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health, emphasizes that both parties – both the patient and the pharmacist – must adhere to the law in force in Poland. First of all, it regulates who and on what terms can receive the indicated drug.
Nothing to test?
In the opinion of pharmacists not associated with the Association of Catholic Pharmacists of Poland, the idea of another tightening of regulations is absurd to say the least. Restricting access to contraception will not protect young people and will not discourage them from making their first sexual contacts. Thanks to this, the birth rate will not increase, because women will start looking for access to contraception in less official ways.
Until recently, regulations passed by the European Union were in force in Poland. They allowed the purchase of the so-called morning after pill, without prescription, for anyone over 15 years of age. At the end of July, that changed. Today, anyone who needs emergency contraception must first see a doctor and get a prescription. One of the arguments in favor of departing from the EU law was the fear that especially young people will use this privilege too often, and this may affect their health.