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Bishop Paul S. Loverde, the head of the Diocese of Arlington, came to Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy on Tuesday. About 75 people crowded into the small storefront as Loverde sprinkled holy water and gave his blessings.
The pharmacy opened this week in a Chantilly strip mall. The founders say there are only seven others like it in the country.
DMC is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church, but follows church teachings on birth control. It does not sell condoms, birth control pills or any other form of contraception.
"We want to be pro-life and we want to carry out this pro-life attention in everything that we do and we sort of have to talk and act like we believe," said Bob Laird, executive director of DMC pharmacy.
Irene Starrs brought her five daughters to the pharmacy Tuesday morning. She considers it a teaching opportunity.
"In coming here I had to explain to them that in most pharmacies there is medicine that can kill a baby in the womb and we want to support a pharmacy that is not going to support that kind of medicine," she said.
Kara Murad chose to make the trek to DMC rather than going to the chain pharmacy just around the corner.
"I love it," she said. "I'm glad it's here. I made a point to come out and support it and I like the pro life message that it's sending."
But some women and women's groups say the pharmacy is part of a troubling trend of denying needed health care services to women.
"I just think that it's crazy, especially with these kids getting started younger and younger," said Lisa Romano. "You need to do something."
"I don't believe in it," added Sandy Simoncelli. "I believe it's a female's choice and I don't believe politicians or a drug store should be telling us what we're buying.
Virginia law does not require a pharmacist to fill a prescription that is brought in to them. Meanwhile, the Virginia chapter of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League is calling for a boycott of the store.
junebug14 wrote:
The difference is that a doctor - a health professional who presumably knows better about my medication and medical choices than a pharmacy employee - is unlikely to prescribe me a pack of Chik Fil A nuggets for whatever my condition might be. I find this pharmacy's tactics offensive and unnecessary because, in theory, the reason a pharmacy exists is to fill medical prescriptions, and that does not mean "fill the prescriptions the pharmacist thinks are necessary, okay or yummy." How about you listen to the professionals (doctors!) and dispense what they ask you to dispense for their patients. Kudos, too, to the indivdual who mentioned this place probably has no problem filling a Viagra scrip. Because, hey, men are allowed to have all the choices and aids they can get their hands on for the improvement or management of their sex lives, while a woman's access to similar drugs and ability to make simiar choices is limited "for her own good," because obviously she (and her doctor) are incapable of making necessary decisions about the drugs she takes. Disgusting.
well said.
reply to message from junebug14 posted on Tue 10/21/08 at 6:07 pm
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