I want to applaud the Washington State Pharmacy Board for their decision to make room for pharmacists who have conscientious objections to dispensing so called "emergency contraception" or "Plan B." One of its mechanisms is to weaken the endometrial lining of the uterus, thus making the mother's womb inhospitable to the implantation or nidation (nesting) of the newly conceived child. As the University of California at Santa Barbara website states, "They (emergency contraception pills) also thin out the endometrial lining making it difficult for a fertilized egg to implant." According to the National Institute of Health, “They (ECP”s) may make the uterine lining less hospitable for implantation of a pregnancy.”* To make a comparison from the animal world, it is like tampering with an eagle's nest - for example, by throwing a rock at it. Even a small amount of damage could be fatal to the tiny eaglets. So it is with misnamed "emergency contraception." It can destroy a tiny human life.

While I applaud the Pharmacy Board, I also must register my disappointment with Governor Christine Gregoire's reaction to the Board's decision. During her election campaign, she had met with Archbishop Brunett, expressing to him that as a Catholic she was against abortion. It is hard to understand that she would not have more sympathy with those who have grave moral concerns regarding a pill which would snuff out the life of a newly conceived human. Instead, she employed scare tactics, drawing unfair comparisons with Viagra and medicines for AIDS.** The fact is, that “emergency contraception” is in a category by itself. To require all pharmacists to dispense it would exclude anyone with clear pro-life beliefs from that profession. And more seriously, it would in the long run reduce pharmacists to the level of dispensing machines: Just fill out the doctor's prescription and forget about any human, moral dimension. For my money, I prefer an adult relationship to my pharmacist (and other medical practitioners). And if I don't get the service I desire, I can go somewhere else. Why are Governor Gregoire and others so threatened by a relatively small number of pharmacists who desire to exercise their profession without compromising their core beliefs?