Wal-Mart Decides to Carry Plan B Pill

[ayin jade]

Wal-Mart Decides to Carry Plan B Pill By MARCUS KABEL, Associated Press Writer

Officials of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced Friday the company will reverse its earlier policy and stock emergency contraception pills in all of its pharmacies effective March 20, saying the giant retailer could not justify being the country's only major pharmacy chain not to carry the morning-after pill.

The announcement comes after Massachusetts last month ordered the world's largest retailer to stock the so-called Plan B pill, following a lawsuit by three Boston women against Wal-Mart.

Illinois also requires pharmacies to carry the prescription drug, and those are the only two states where Wal-Mart has so far stocked emergency contraception.

"We expect more states to require us to sell emergency contraceptives in the months ahead," said Ron Chomiuk, vice president of pharmacy for Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart.

"Because of this, and the fact that this is an FDA-approved product, we feel it is difficult to justify being the country's only major pharmacy chain not selling it," Chomiuk said in a statement.

Chomiuk said the company will maintain its conscientious objection policy, which it said is consistent with the tenets of the American Pharmaceutical Association. The policy, except where prohibited by law, allows any Wal-Mart or Sam's Club pharmacy employee who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacist or pharmacy.

Wal-Mart has more than 3,700 pharmacies in the United States, it said.

It has previously said it "chooses not to carry many products for business reasons," but has refused to elaborate. A Wal-Mart lawyer in the Massachusetts lawsuit said the company did not believe that emergency contraception was commonly prescribed or within the "usual needs of the community."

Plan B contains a higher dose of the hormones in regular birth control pills. It cuts the chances of pregnancy by up to 89 percent if used within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The earlier it's taken, the more effective it is.

If a woman already is pregnant, the pills have no effect. They prevent ovulation or fertilization of an egg; they also may prevent the egg from implanting into the uterus, the medical definition of pregnancy, although recent research suggests that's unlikely.

Some abortion opponents oppose emergency contraception because it blocks fertilization of an egg or because they believe it can block the fertilized egg from being implanted.

National women's and family planning groups called on Wal-Mart to change policy and start stocking emergency contraception pills in its pharmacies after the Boston lawsuit filed Feb. 1.

The groups, including the National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood and the National Council of Women's Organizations, said Wal-Mart did not have the right to overrule a doctor's prescription of emergency contraception for a woman.

Connecticut added pressure Thursday when Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said the insurance plan for 188,000 state employees and retirees should no longer cover prescriptions at Wal-Mart unless the retail giant agrees to stock emergency contraception pills.

Wal-Mart's critics welcomed the change.

"We commend Wal-Mart for taking an important first step towards allowing women access to safe and legal medication," Andrew Grossman, executive director of union-backed campaign group WalMartWatch.com, said in a statement.

WalMartWatch.com said Wal-Mart should now look at changing what it claimed were other business practices that harm women, including inequality in pay and promotions that are alleged in a class-action federal lawsuit against the retailer pending in San Francisco. Wal-Mart has denied those allegations.

(yahoo, AP news source)Link here

[50_Cent's_dog]

I HATE Walmart! I refuse to shop there because they are so greedy. They are putting all other American companies out of business. They killed Rubbermaid because they knew that they could get cheaper prices from China. Walmart is bad for America!

[Constant]

Wonderful isn't it? No need for condoms or waiting til you are married, just do the deed, enjoy it and haul your butt to Wal-Mart so you don't get pregnant. More reasons for teens to have sex I guess.

[Trinity]

Wonderful isn't it? No need for condoms or waiting til you are married, just do the deed, enjoy it and haul your butt to Wal-Mart so you don't get pregnant. More reasons for teens to have sex I guess.

Not giving Walmart a excuse but...

Last i heard the Government was making Walmart sell that Pill, but Walmart refused. Then people where taking them to court and i guess this was the result. But its not all Walmart that is now saying to kids go have sex its the Government first or foremost saying that. It looks like Walmart is battle-wary and just gave up and decided to sell the Pill, that fact is that The government was going to make Walmart sell them anyway, Walmart just didn't feel like going to court.

[apothanein kerdos]

Maybe Christians will finally walk away from this Giant turned evil.

[apothanein kerdos]

Maybe conservative Christians will someday learn that education about contraception will VASTLY reduce the need for "after-the-deed" measures. Face it, we are not going to have the type of society you want were people only have sex for procreation in wedlock.

Why not? Sex is for enjoyment between man and wife. Now, I don't know about you, but God is pretty powerful. Maybe your god is weak and subjective to culture, but mine surpasses all culture.

[Guest shiloh357]

Maybe conservative Christians will someday learn that education about contraception will VASTLY reduce the need for "after-the-deed" measures. Face it, we are not going to have the type of society you want were people only have sex for procreation in wedlock.

Why not? Sex is for enjoyment between man and wife. Now, I don't know about you, but God is pretty powerful. Maybe your god is weak and subjective to culture, but mine surpasses all culture.

Maybe you just called me something other than Christian... Maybe it's YOUR god that's weak but my God is the Lord Jesus Christ. You act as though Christian society or Christians in society haven't changed since the beginning of time. My God is the Living God, not some character frozen in time at the canonization of the Bible.

Anyway, sex is not forbidden outside of marrige in the Bible and is also enjoyable regardless of marital status.

And you are obviously biblically illiterate.

[apothanein kerdos]

Maybe conservative Christians will someday learn that education about contraception will VASTLY reduce the need for "after-the-deed" measures. Face it, we are not going to have the type of society you want were people only have sex for procreation in wedlock.

Why not? Sex is for enjoyment between man and wife. Now, I don't know about you, but God is pretty powerful. Maybe your god is weak and subjective to culture, but mine surpasses all culture.

Maybe you just called me something other than Christian... Maybe it's YOUR god that's weak but my God is the Lord Jesus Christ. You act as though Christian society or Christians in society haven't changed since the beginning of time. My God is the Living God, not some character frozen in time at the canonization of the Bible.

Anyway, sex is not forbidden outside of marrige in the Bible and is also enjoyable regardless of marital status.

Does the word "fornication" mean anything to you? That is most certainly banned. Matthew 15:19 is a good starting point.

And yes, I was calling you something other than a Christian. You don't have a Christian mind, meaning you have been been sanctified or even in the process of it. Without sanctificaiton there is no salvation. "Living God" does not mean His standards change. He wants society to be His and He has us here to accomplish this task. You are working against it, plain and simple.

[deadman1204]

Maybe conservative Christians will someday learn that education about contraception will VASTLY reduce the need for "after-the-deed" measures. Face it, we are not going to have the type of society you want were people only have sex for procreation in wedlock.

Why not? Sex is for enjoyment between man and wife. Now, I don't know about you, but God is pretty powerful. Maybe your god is weak and subjective to culture, but mine surpasses all culture.

Maybe you just called me something other than Christian... Maybe it's YOUR god that's weak but my God is the Lord Jesus Christ. You act as though Christian society or Christians in society haven't changed since the beginning of time. My God is the Living God, not some character frozen in time at the canonization of the Bible.

Anyway, sex is not forbidden outside of marrige in the Bible and is also enjoyable regardless of marital status.

Please provide scripture to back this up.

[Guest LadyC]

mosthigh, you most certainly do not have a clear understanding of God's word. you twist and contort to make it fit your extremely liberal opinions.

first of all, God makes it very clear that sex is not only for procreation, so i really wish you'd quit making it sound like we conservative christians are puritanistic prudes. sex is a celebration of love and is a beautiful thing, and we are commanded to give ourselves to our spouses as an expression of love regardless of whether we can or intend to have children.

second, God makes it very clear also that sex is a 2 dimensional reflection of the 3 dimensional character of God Himself. it is not just a joining of flesh for the purpose of fertilizing eggs, it is a perfect joining of husband and wife as one person united.

thirdly, to have sex outside of marriage grossly perverts the representation of the Holy Trinity because it treats the joining of a man and woman as a casual fling of fleshly desires.

and fourth, yes, sex outside of marriage is forbidden in scripture, both directly and indirectly, throughout both testaments. the reason is also pretty clear. not only does it pervert the representation of God in 3 persons, it causes emotional damage, it gives in to the lust of the flesh and takes our focus off of God, it results in fatherless children, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.