Va. Pharmacy: No Candy, Coke Or Condoms

(AP)  A new drug store at a Virginia strip mall is putting its faith in an unconventional business plan: No candy. No sodas. And no birth control. Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy is among at least seven pharmacies across the nation that are refusing as a matter of faith to sell contraceptives of any kind, even if a person has a prescription.

States across the country have been wrestling with the issue of pharmacists who refuse on religious grounds to dispense birth control or morning-after pills, and some have enacted laws requiring drug stores to fill the prescriptions.

In Virginia, though, pharmacists can turn away any prescription for any reason.

"I am grateful to be able to practice," pharmacy manager Robert Semler said, "where my conscience will never be violated and my faith does not have to be checked at the door each morning."

Semler ran a similar pharmacy before opening the new store, which is not far from Dulles International Airport. The store only sells items that are health-related, including vitamins, skin care products and over-the-counter medications.

On Tuesday, the pharmacy celebrated a blessing from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. While Divine Mercy Care is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it is guided by church teachings on sexuality, which forbid any form of artificial contraception, including morning-after pills, condoms and birth control pills, a common prescription used by millions of women in the U.S.

"This pharmacy is a vibrant example of our Holy Father's charge to all of us to wear our faith in the public square," said Loverde, who sprinkled holy water on the shelves stocked with painkillers and acne treatments. "It will allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised."

The drug store is the seventh in the country to be certified as not prescribing birth control by Pharmacists for Life International. The anti-abortion group estimates that perhaps hundreds of other pharmacies have similar policies, though they have not been certified.

Earlier this year in Wisconsin, a state appeals court upheld sanctions against a pharmacist who refused to dispense birth control pills to a woman and wouldn't transfer her prescription elsewhere. Elsewhere, at least seven states require pharmacies or pharmacists to fill contraceptive prescriptions, according to the National Women's Law Center. Four states explicitly give pharmacists the right to turn away any prescriptions, the group said.

The Virginia store's policy has drawn scorn from some abortion rights groups, who have already called for a boycott and collected more than 1,000 signatures protesting the pharmacy.

"If this emboldens other pharmacies in other parts of the state, it could really affect low-income and rural women in terms of access," said Tarina Keene, executive director of the Virginia chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League.

Robert Laird, executive director of Divine Mercy Care, believes many of the estimated 50,000 Catholics within a few miles of the store will support its mission and make up for the roughly 10 percent of business that contraceptives represent in a typical pharmacy.

Whether Catholics will be drawn to the pharmacy is uncertain. According to a Gallup poll published last year for an extensive study of U.S. Catholicism called American Catholics Today, 75 percent of U.S. Catholics said you can still be a good Catholic even if you don't obey church teachings on birth control.

Catherine Muskett said she plans to shop at the drug store even though she lives more than 20 miles away.

"Obviously it's good to support pro-life causes. Every little bit counts," said Muskett, one of about 75 people who crowded into the tiny shop for Tuesday's ceremony.

[eggy1620]

. . . . . . . .Posted by skinnyminny2

Yes, of course this RPh will continue to give Rush L his Oxy without a valid prescription. Because it is OK for republicans, ahem, Cindy McCaine, to abuse drugs.

[skinnyminny2]

But I bet they continue to dispense prescriptions to doctor-hopping drug painkiller addicts.....
People bringing their beliefs into such a business, that''s just going to bring them trouble. Be religious, for you, your choice. Leave everyone else out if it. You don''t see Jews doing this, do you? I''ve been into Jewish owned businessess (aside from kosher delis, ect) that sell pork and other prohibited things....they don''t force their practice down others'' throats.

[avigil2]

That''s all that we need... more unwanted children where unwilling parents will abuse the Safe Haven Law. The Roman Catholic Church is still behind in the times.

[mitch5511]

I am waiting for a lawsuit. \

[barbaram99]

The state licnses them and yes that STATE can tell THEM what they will carry,sell and fill. Get over it.
Barnor Maine has a law when Adults can''t smoke in their cars when minors are in the car and city passed as the fisrt place in this nation. The people said* it is my car and I PAYED FOR AND i will if I want*MIND SET. It maybe their business but they have to do as the state says.

[barbaram99]

I can''t believe that still want to live in the old days. It is 2008. If the won''t fill the meds etc. We have sep of church and State in all 50 states in this nation. I hope they boycott that business. A poster says they are licnsed by the state. WA had that issue. It is not their business to forced beiths on others. Sell the items to the public . If ye won''t are ye going to care care the unwanted,rape babies..I don''t think so. I am 54,

[volleymom3]

XENTPRO......thanks for that. My ex husband is catholic as well as his family. Most of which have all gone through divorce at least once. It is amazing how this some members of this particular church does not follow it''s own beliefs.

[sanfelz]

In the retail setting, a pharmacist with compounding skills is seldom needed. Even so, those skills are easily taught. Most Rxs are filled by technicians anyhow. The role pharmacist should be re-thought,replacing the invented scarcity caused by the requirement for overeducation. The beliefs of a pharmacist should never replace the judgment of a physician and medical needs of a patient.

[eggy1620]

Catholic girls are the most fun. Their faith demands that they go bareback. Yeah, baby!

[chimpyout]

It is almost unthinkably repulsive that a woman should have to carry to term the garbage of a rapist or incestuous relative. There needs to be a prompt and effective remedy.

Contraceptives, and especially morning-after pills are essential and a woman''s right. Wonder if any policymaker in the Vatican can understand that with more birth control, there is less abortion; then women don''t use abortion as the contraceptive of last resort.