Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112506

Donald F. Downing, BS Pharm, RPh, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, PO Box 357630, Seattle, WA 98195-7630, 253-593-0232 x474, dondown@u.washington.edu

Pharmacists, because of their unique position in our healthcare delivery system and ubiquitous presence in our communities, have shown themselves to be our nation's most accessible healthcare provider and thus have been able to dramatically improve patient access to contraception, immunizations, health education and many other public health services. Ironically, while preventing many medication mishaps and improving access to care, this position as a medication gatekeeper places pharmacists in a position to possibly deny patients access to legal prescriptions. This paper will explore the dilemma the pharmacist profession faces as it struggles with balancing the needs of patients with the real and perceived duties as a trusted medication expert and gatekeeper. Trust is a gift “received from society” according to the American Pharmacists Association Code of Ethics and “in return for this gift, a pharmacist promises to help individuals achieve optimum benefit from their medications, to be committed to their welfare and to maintain their trust.” Pharmacists in general have maintained this trust and for years have been cited by Gallup Polls as one of the most trusted professionals in America. With some pharmacists choosing to not dispense legal contraceptive prescriptions to patients, concerned pharmacists and others are devising methods to continue to meet patient needs and respond to increasing demands to mandate that all legal prescriptions be dispensed despite pharmacist objections. Practical solutions to these issues will be discussed from the perspective of a licensed pharmacist who is also an educator, and a women's healthcare advocate.

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