Pharmacist Conscience Clauses- A Free Review of the Review

Hospital Pharmacy – Volume 46 – Number 5 / May 2011 – RxLegal – Pharmacist Conscience Clauses: Continuing Debate – Journal Article.

When the “experts” are called upon to provide commentary in professional Journals, it would help if they research their work sufficiently to write something accurate and useful.

Michael Gabay, Pharm D, JD, BCPS,  has attempted to present the topic of Pharmacists conscience clauses, which have led to legislation excusing pharmacists from dispensing drugs which may operate to kill  a human organism.

Listed below are a few of the troubles with Gabay’s article:

1) The implication that RU-486 contributed to pharmacists’  conscientious objection conflicts.  Mifepristone/misoprostil  regimen was highly regulated, and dispensed by the abortion practitioners themselves, rather than pharmacists.  The article gives no mention of ulipristal acetate, the new analog of mifepristone which is now approved as a morning after pill, doses of which may be accumulated to accomplish a later abortion.  (Way to keep current, Dr. Gabay.)

2) Glaring omissions of significant, current,  judicial decisions.  Dr. Gabay is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois, Chicago. Yes, he is in Illinois, a member of the Chicago Bar Association, and inactive member of the Illinois Bar. His article failed to mention the group of lawsuits recently decided  in his own state, involving conscientiously objecting pharmacists and pharmacy owners, Walgreens and former Gov. Blagojevich. It is possible that Dr. Gabay, JD, was not aware of these significant court decisions, or perhaps he did not approve of them.

3) Garbled facts of the K Mart controversy, which actually involved a refusal to dispense progestin-only birth control drugs, not all “oral contraceptives” as the article incorrectly states.

4) Attributing the statement that oral contraceptives can prevent “implantation of a fertilized ovum”, to a person who knew better than that.  Embryology lesson begins  here:  Fertilization of the secondary oocyte, produces an evanescent form called the zygote, that immediately begins cellular division, and proceeds to the next stage.  By the time the human organism reaches the uterus to begin implantation, its embryonic form has differentiated into a blastocyst. (Dr. Gabay forgot the basic  anatomy/physiology stuff which should have been prerequisite to his Pharm D.)

5) Dr. Gabay still appears not to know what Ms. Brauer  knew about the mechanisms of birth control drugs,  and the progestin, norethindrone, in particular. The actual disagreement in the K Mart case is  still readily visible on the net:  Page 1 and Page 2.

6) The crux of ethical objection to dispensing drugs which act, to a significant extent, to stop the life of a human organism is just that.  It is not tied up in the various newer concepts  of “abortion” and “pregnancy” which exclude the early human embryo.  Abusing these terms to obfuscate the issue  violates the patients’ right to give informed consent. The law has established no cogent or consistent basis for determining which human organisms may be willfully  killed and which may not.

The complimentary review and editorializing  will end here, to prevent  reader fatigue.

The take home lesson for users of the literature in science and medicine is to read critically.   Much of it is incomplete and factually “challenged” whether it is primary literature, or review and commentary,  as in the case of Dr. Gabay’s article.

The value of extensive,  formal education (as currently supplied)  is also called into question, as it increasingly appears not to be helping with the quality of intellectual output.

*Note: This commentary has not been subjected to editorial review.

How Climate Change Guru, Al Gore, Got Where He Is Today

Transcript: Al Gore Got ‘D’ in ‘Natural Sciences’ at Harvard | CNSnews.com.

Those of us who actually have  worked  in the science fields took the real science courses in college and grad school, and we had alternate names for the ‘science’ courses, which people in other fields took just to satisfy general requirements.

For those other students, there were  the natural science classes…. which might be earth science, environmental sciences,  and the one in which Al Gore scored  a D at Harvard…….. “Mans Place in Nature”.

When he was a senior, AlGore gave it a second try, and got a C+ in Natural Sciences 118.

Gore’s college board achievement testing yielded stellar scores of 488/800 in physics, and 519/800 in chemistry.

All of this amazing background and training is the basis for Gore’s incorrect conclusions about the weather (climate change), for which he obtained a Nobel PEACE (can we stay on topic?) prize.

(Obama’s academic  records are apparently too abysmal to present to the public, if they exist at all.)

Chrissie Matthews’ Inquiring Mind Wants to Know


Which republican  “Could excite them and turn them on most likely?”

That’s what it’s all about for Chris.  The rest of us are pondering other attributes of our politicians than their capacity for sending a thrill up our legs.

Matthews has also stated that he would not want an interview with Huntsman, Pawlenty or Romney.  He’s just not interested in any possible future presidents if they come from the opposing party.

Those guys just leave his leg COLD, and feeling quite dead.

Assistant Teacher Files Suit: Religious Discrimination, Wrongful Termination

Assistant teacher says she was fired for Christian faith – NYPOST.com.

Anita Wooten-Francis, an asssistant teacher of special ed instructer at the Canarsie school in Brooklyn, has filed suit against the city, the DOE, and principal George Andrews for religious discrimination and unspecified damages stemming from her termination.

Wooten-Francis cites a plethora of improprieties occurring at the school, many involving the behavior of the principal torwards her personally, and directly related to her personal religious practices. For 16 years prior to 2004, she experienced no difficulty at the school regarding her teaching or religious practice.

The 52 year old instructor  states that she never influenced the children with her religion, and that the charges leading to her firing are false.

She is accused of grabbing a student at the school, which is said to be implausible due to the nerve damage in her hands and feet.   She is described by a fellow teacher  (who fears reprisal)  as dedicated to the kids,  a “fantastic lady” who “wouldn’t hurt a fly”.

From the NY Post:

“I’m a Christian,” Wooten-Francis said. “I believe Jesus Christ is my lord and savior . . . I know that I’m trusting God, and the truth will come out.”

photo: j.c.rice

Ectopic to the MAX

Phoenix woman gives birth to baby she carried in abdomen.

Nicolette Soto was able to carry an ectopic pregnancy and deliver a live baby  at 32 weeks.  The delivery of Azelan Cruz Perfecto , weighing in at 2 lb, 14 oz,  occurred at Banner Good Samaritan hospital in Phoenix, AZ.

This kind of success is unexpected, and most women will have the embryo  (with surrounding structures)  removed, or  have the embryo killed using methotrexate.  Under most circumstances of ectopic pregnancy,  a rupture will occur which could result in the death of the mother.

The article does not describe well the location of the fetus in this case.  Here’s the quote:

“Doctors said the pregnancy is rare.  They were still determining where the egg first implanted itself and where it grew outside the uterus, Holloway said.

Surgeons believe Soto had a corneal (sic) pregnancy, where the egg grew just outside the uterus. The area is surrounded by walls that are not supposed to stretch enough to accommodate a baby, said Rodney Edwards, one of Soto’s surgeons at Good Samaritan.”

If you want to learn more about the supposed  location of this fetus within the mom, google CORNUAL pregnancy. 

Perhaps technology will one day permit  routinely moving ectopic embryos to a safer location in the uterus,  allowing them to continue to develop.