Olympia women complain after pharmacies refuse prescriptions

Nine Olympia residents filed a complaint with the Washington State Board of Pharmacy yesterday, alleging that four local pharmacies repeatedly refused to dispense their prescriptions for the Plan B emergency contraceptive.

One of the women, Samantha Margerum, said she was turned away by three pharmacists before getting her prescription filled at a Walgreens in West Olympia. In all, the nine women had 17 prescriptions rejected in Olympia and Lacey.

The complaint "shows that there are major access problem in this community," said Janet Blanding, an Olympia medical transcriptionist. "These were legal prescriptions given to women of childbearing age."

Joyce Roper, an assistant attorney general who advises the board of pharmacy, said Washington does not "have a law that specifically requires a pharmacist to fill every prescription."

But the state pharmacy board last month bowed to public objections and delayed adopting new rules that would have made Washington one of few states to clearly permit pharmacists to opt out of dispensing prescriptions they consider personally objectionable.

Gov. Christine Gregoire has written two letters to the pharmacy board opposing any rule changes that would allow pharmacists to act as "conscientious objectors."

Washington law allows any person to refuse to perform abortions.

Plan B works like other birth-control pills, primarily by preventing the ovary from releasing the egg. But some people argue that it's an abortion pill because Plan B may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb if taken soon after sex.

Blanding organized a boycott of Ralph's Thriftway in Olympia in June after her prescription was rejected. Ralph's co-owner has said the pharmacy does not stock Plan B because of moral objections.

Blanding said she and the eight other complainants tried to fill the prescriptions between June and July.

Blanding, a 45-year-old single mother, said she once had sex on a Saturday night but had to wait until Monday morning to get her Plan B prescription. Blanding said she did not need Plan B now but wanted to have it for emergencies.

"All fertile women should have it on hand," Blanding said.

In addition to Ralph's, the women said their prescriptions were refused at Albertsons/Sav-On on Pacific Avenue Southeast in Olympia, Rite Aid on Sleater-Kinney Road and Walgreens on Lacey Boulevard, both in Lacey.

Kyung Song: 206-464-2423 or ksong@seattletimes.com