The idea of introducing a conscience clause in the pharmacists’ code of ethics has been abandoned. This could have called into question access to contraception.
At the end of July, the National Order of Pharmacists took the decision to suspend the consultation with these health professionals on the introduction of a conscience clause in their code of ethics.
But this suspension was not enough for the defenders of contraception who simply demanded its withdrawal. Many of them feared that a pharmacist could, for example, use it to refuse to deliver a morning-after pill to minors. And these have been heard.
In a statement released on Tuesday following a meeting of its National Council, the CNOP (1) stressed that “the article relating to the introduction of a possible conscience clause, (…) was not retained and therefore not included in the draft. Thus rewritten and streamlined, the draft Code was designed with the firm resolve to strengthen respect for patients’ rights and freedoms and to be in line with current professional practices,” he concludes.
More than 13,000 signatories on change.org
A decision which the Collective of Pharmacists welcomes. Fiercely opposed to this conscience clause, he launched a petition during the summer asking for the immediate withdrawal of this project. After harvesting more than 13,250 signatures on change.org, he reacted . “We take note of the decision of the National Order of Pharmacists, which has waived the introduction of a conscience clause in the new code of ethics”. A terse response that somewhat conceals the current state of mind of its members on social networks. On Twitter, many of them no longer hid their joy…
As a reminder, the unions of pharmacies, the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France (FSPF) and the Union of Unions of Community Pharmacists (USPO), also called for the withdrawal of this conscience clause, or its rewriting. same for me Laurence Rossignol, Minister for Families, Children and Women’s Rights, who had requested clarification from the Order of Pharmacists.
(1) National Council of the Order of Pharmacists
.
