A Walgreens pharmacist declined to fill a pregnancy-terminating drug for an Arizona woman who learned she was about to miscarry, due to his moral views.
Nicole Arteaga found out last week during a 10-week ultrasound that the fetus inside her had no heartbeat and was not going to continue developing. As a result, her doctor told her she could either have a surgical procedure or take prescription medication.
Arteaga opted for the medication.
“I thought it was going to be regular: running and getting what I need, and we’re going to be out of there,” Arteaga told NBC News about her trip to the pharmacy. “It didn’t turn out that way. I was very shocked and couldn’t believe what was happening.”
But the pharmacist said he refused to give her the medication after inquiring if she was pregnant. According to Arteaga, he cited his “ethics” as the reason for not filling the prescription.
“I felt so helpless, and I felt so out of control of my own body. The only thing I could process in that moment was I didn’t have control over my baby not being able to live inside of me, and I don’t have control over how to miscarry,” she said.
Eventually, Arteaga said that the pharmacist said he would move the prescription to a different Walgreens.
Walgreens confirmed that the incident occurred to NBC News and said that its policy allows pharmacists to refuse filling a prescription due to moral views.
“It’s important to note in that situation, the pharmacist also is required to refer the prescription to another pharmacist or manager on duty to meet the patient’s needs in a timely manner,” Walgreens added in a statement.
Arizona is one of six states that permits pharmacists to decline filling prescriptions due to moral or religious beliefs, according to the National Women’s Law Center.
Walgreens said pharmacists will undergo additional training regarding handling similar situations in the future in response to the episode.
