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Q: I'm 18 and interested in getting a job as a pharmacy technician. What gets me is dispensing contraception. Would this be sinful on my part? I realize that the pill may be prescribed for different reasons and I am not out to judge anyone, but at the same time I feel that I would be causing these people to sin by helping provide them with the means to do so. What if the contraceptive aborts? Do I hold some responsibility because I was a step in that? Your advice would be much appreciated have put off applying for a job for quite a while because I am not sure.
Lynne
Dear Lynne:
The question you are asking is certainly a difficult one. It is great that you are considering pharmacy as a career. So much of our health system depends on having good competent people in this area. In recent years, with the advent of certain new drugs, there has been an even greater need for pharmacists willing to question the morality of some of the tasks they are asked to undertake, and to their credit, many pharmacists are already taking up the challenge by refusing to dispense certain drugs.
As you probably know, the use of the so-called 'morning-after pill' is forbidden by the Church. Such a pill is an abortifacient, because it prevents the already fertilized ovum, the earliest phase of embryonic development, from implanting itself in the uterine wall, so that it is ultimately expelled. In this regard, the Pontifical Academy of Life states:
"Consequently, from the ethical standpoint the same absolute unlawfulness of abortifacient procedures also applies to distributing, prescribing and taking the morning-after pill. All who, whether sharing the intention or not, directly co-operate with this procedure are also morally responsible for it." (Statement on the Morning-After Pill, October 2000).
And again:
"In the end, since these procedures are becoming more widespread, we strongly urge everyone who works in this sector to make a firm objection of moral conscience, which will bear courageous and practical witness to the inalienable value of human life, especially in view of the new hidden forms of aggression against the weakest and most defenceless individuals, as is the case with a human embryo." (Statement on the Morning-After Pill, October 2000)
Furthermore, the use of artificial birth control, generally referred to as oral contraceptives, or The Pill, is also forbidden by the Church. The teaching of the Catholic Church on this matter was expressed by Pope Paul VI in his 1968 encyclical letter titled 'Humanae Vitae' (Of Human Life). The encyclical states that, "Each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life." In addition, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the various artificial means of preventing conception as, "intrinsically evil.". (2370) It is the teaching of the Church that the intimate togetherness of the conjugal act, which involves authentic mutual love --what the Church refers to as the 'unitive significance' of the act--must not be separated by artificial means from the generative or procreative significance; that is, from 'the most high calling to parenthood' (Humanae Vitae: No.12), in order to be in harmony with the design of the Creator.
Oral contraceptives are somewhat different from the 'morning-after pill' in that they are also used to treat a number of other health conditions unrelated to birth prevention or abortion, such as acne, so it would appear that dispensing contraceptive pills without knowledge of their intended use might be morally permissible. One Catholic theologian classifies this as an unwilling cooperation with evil, in the same way we pay taxes despite our government using our money for immoral purposes, such as funding abortion. Pharmacists, however, for safety reasons, are often required today to discuss with customers the product being dispensed. In many cases, then, the intended use will be quite clear, so it is doubtful how dispensing contraceptive pills in those circumstances could be considered anything other than cooperation with evil, albeit reluctant cooperation.
As mentioned earlier, some pro-life pharmacists are already taking a stand by refusing to dispense contraceptives and abortifacients. Although a few have been fired by some large pharmacy chains for their stance, and are currently challenging the firings before the courts, some others employed by rival pharmacy chains, somewhat surprisingly, have been excused from dispensing contraceptives and abortifacients, and have been allowed to hand over such dispensing duties to willing pharmacy colleagues.
How you handle the situation really depends on just how far you want to distance yourself from any hint of 'willing cooperation with evil,' and this in turn depends on the extent of your faith commitment and on your informed conscience.
Are you totally opposed to working in any pharmacy which as much as stocks such products? This would require a large sacrifice, because although such places do exist, they are uncommon, and you could easily find yourself without work in your chosen profession. Would you be content instead to work in a regular pharmacy as long as your employers exempted you from distributing contraceptive or abortifacient drugs? This again is not an easy choice, in that you may be forced to locate far from home to find such a place. Once there, your personal views would be well known, perhaps requiring you to defend those views to colleagues, a prospect which you may or may not welcome. These are the challenges that have faced people who have borne "courageous and practical witness" to the faith, ever since the time of the Apostles and martyrs.
One possible strategy might be for you to become active within the pharmaceutical community to change attitudes. You might, for example, become familiar with natural family planning methods, introducing them as a drug-free alternative during your discussions with customers and colleagues, where appropriate. In addition, you might eventually be able to persuade your pharmacy colleagues to display brochures on natural family planning on the pharmacy's health information rack. As your experience grows, one day you might even be able to own and operate your own pharmacy, where you can attempt to set standards that conform more fully to your own beliefs.
Should you wish to know more about natural family planning, you can contact the Natural Family Planning Association of Ontario by visiting their Web site (http://www.naturalfamilyplanning.ca), or the Couple to Couple League (www.ccli.org).
It is very important, however, that you are not discouraged from becoming a pharmacy technician because of these difficult issues. Indeed, people with your moral convictions are much needed in the pharmaceutical world. Many have accepted the challenge, and in some cases have united to make their collective voices heard.
One such group that can assist you is an international organization called Pharmacists for Life, which has a Canadian affiliate, found online at http://www.geocities.com/pflic/homepage.html . The mailing address is:
Pharmacists for Life/Canada
Box 43508
180 James Street South
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8P 4V0
Phone (905)528-4828
The organization is described on its website as follows:
"Pharmacists for Life International/Canada is a non-profit educational group concerned with sanctity of human life issues affecting the profession of pharmacy. Membership consists of increasing numbers of professional pharmacists, other health care practitioners, and support from members of the public from across the country. We provide many resources from our Canadian office and have access to the resources of an international group of pharmacists for life."
The international parent organization can be found online at
Wishing you every blessing in your chosen profession,
God bless,
Father Norbert