The Pope and the Pill

A brief digression from my usual pop culture musings…

Yesterday, Pope Benedict called on Catholic pharmacists to not only conscientiously object to dispensing emergency contraception, but also to educate patients about the moral and ethical use of drugs.

What I would like to know is whether the Pope is also urging members of the same profession to treat their male customers with equal disdain. When they refuse a woman her legally prescribed drugs, will they also demand that she haul in her male partner for a good old tar and feathering? When a man steps up to the counter to pick up his Viagra, does the Pope insist the pharmacist inquire as to whether the gentleman receiving the pills intends to use them solely for procreational sex with his wife?

Let’s forget about the Pope for a minute. Since when did pharmacists become the morals police? It’s their job to fill prescriptions. Period.

I have, in the past, held positions where I did things I didn’t particularly want to do. I used to work as an acquisitions editor where my boss basically expected me to screw writers and photographers out of a decent wage. I also served time as a corporate mouthpiece, where one person’s “spin” is another person’s “lie.” When performing those tasks—which were inherent in my job description—became too much for me to stomach, I quit.

If certain pharmacists feel similarly conflicted, I suggest they start looking for a new career.