Pharmacists' Objection of Conscience Still Curtailed
An improvement of the national health service law in February 2012 did not fully grant conscientious objection to pharmacists: The law still compels the objecting pharmacists to find a willing employee of the same pharmacy or another pharmacist to sell the "morning-after-pill".
A health services law (n°372/2011) came into effect at the end of November 2011 in the Czech Republic. The law makes buying the so-called “morning after pill” simpler: the need for a prescription was removed. Now any woman above the age of 16 with a valid ID can purchase Postinor-2 and Escapelle. A petition against this law was launched because it did not allow for objection of conscience by pharmacists in case the buyer could not obtain the pill from another pharmacist. In February 2012, the health services law was amended to include a clause that partially protected the objection of conscience of pharmacist. However, upon closer inspection the law compels the objecting pharmacists to find a willing employee of the same pharmacy or another pharmacist to sell the drug. The pharmacist cannot object in a case where the life of the mother is at risk or when the objecting pharmacist cannot find someone willing to sell the Morning after Pill. A report must be submitted after a conscientious objection. Sources: http://zpravy.idnes.cz/postinor-uz-nebude-na-predpis-nouzovou-antikoncepci-koupite-na-obcanku-1au-/domaci.aspx?c=A111103_163254_domaci_brm