It was reported in April that the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), a professional body overseeing pharmacists in the UK, has amended its guidance to deny pharmacists the right to opt out of providing services which would offend their religious or moral beliefs.
This essentially creates a monopoly in the pharmacy profession for those who support abortion, contraception, or other morally controversial treatments; thus overriding the grave concerns of Christians or people of other faiths who have a conscientious objection to the provision of certain services and products.
Christian Concern said: ‘If the pharmaceutical field truly has a duty to provide clients with all options, then it must also have a duty to afford individuals the possibility of accessing pharmacists who share their views on life and health. In a 2009 study, nearly 90% of people interviewed from across the ideological spectrum believed that choosing a health care professional with similar values as their own was important. Equally important is that a client's will is not absolute, and even beyond the issue of conscience, delivering services to some patients may not be in their best interests.’
