Pharmacists should not make moral judgments

IN response to Loretta O’Connor’s letter (August 3), as somebody who works in pharmacy I believe that expressing my own beliefs as regards contraception and the availability of the morning-after pill, is completely outside the realms of my job description.

The role of the pharmacist is to advise people about their medicines, how to take them and the effects that these medicines will have. They are not there and should not feel obliged to give advice, moral or otherwise, beyond the duties required of them.

They are not social workers, priests or politicians and their opinions should not precipitate into the workplace as health professionals.

Ms O’Connor’s statement that pharmacists are entitled to express their opinions as they should be allowed to exercise “freedom of choice and conscientious objections” is in itself a complete contradiction.

The choices are not always the easiest and their decisions are only belittled when faced with moralistic, judgemental opinions of those who know little or nothing about the situation.

Susan Doyle

Margaret St

Cork