Women sue Wal-Mart over contraception

[2sisters]

The federal government has called an unusual scientific conference to look into two related bacterial infections, one that killed four California women who took an abortion pill and the other that has caused outbreaks of diarrhea and colitis in hospitals and nursing homes across the nation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/11/national/11fda.html?ei=5090&en=892d59e702813586&ex=1297314000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

 

[Glow]

Thank you IrishMist. People need to read and understand what this drug is before they assume it is an abortion pill. IT IS NOT!!! :banghead:

the plan B drug is a progesterone called levonorgestrel. It works in two ways.

#1
It will prevent ovulation if the woman has not ovulated yet.

Nobody has a problem with that.

#2
IF ovulation has already occured and sperm are deposited and fertilization takes place, the now fertilized egg still has to make its way from the fallopian tube to the uterus. The drug (levonorgestrel) acts on the uterine lining so that it is not going to accept the already fertilized egg when it arrives. For people (like Walmarts position) that believe life begins at conception, this is when the drug becomes a problem.



IrishMist was right that this is a different drug then Mifepristone (or RU-486)
This drug ONLY works after implantation by aborting the implanted egg.

 

[IrishMist]

From the FDA

How does Plan B work?

Plan B works like other birth control pills to prevent pregnancy.
1. Plan B acts primarily by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation).
2. It may prevent the union of sperm and egg (fertilization).
3. If fertilization does occur, Plan B may prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb (implantation).
If a fertilized egg is implanted prior to taking Plan B, Plan B will not work.

From the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association

HORMONAL METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION

All hormonal contraceptives such as the birth control pill, theinjectable Depo-Provera – and even breastfeeding – may prevent pregnancy by
1. delaying or inhibiting ovulation,
2.inhibiting fertilization, or
3.inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg in the endometrium

Me talking here:
Plan B does the same thing as birth control. In fact, you can use birth control in higher doses and get the same effect.

 

[Glow]

I was incorrect to use the word "only" I should have said "primary" as that speaks to intent.


As a matter of fact plan B is the old "minipill" of the 80s just revamped for a new consumer market as it is progesterone only instead of a blend of estrogen/progesterone like the regular birth control pill.


I think that the FDA is correct excepting the word "may" prevent implantation. The maufactures intent is for it TO prevent implantation. That is its designed action. Softening the wording (and this may not have been their intent it may have been for legal liability reasons) doesnt change its purpose.

The information about the pill is accurate. The primary action of the pill is to inhibit ovulation. If a woman takes it every day as directed then she will not ovulate. There are exceptions to this. One being excessive diarrhea which keeps the hormones in the pill from being absorbed by the body in high enough doses. In that case there are two other things that have already occured by taking the pill regularly. The lining of the uterus did not get exposed to the normal hormones that create the enviroment needed for implantation, and the cervical mucus is thick and inhibits sperm passage.

So IF a woman took the plan B every day beginning with the first day of her menstrual cycle then yes she would be DEFINITELY mimicking the pill. She could in all good conscience feel she was preventing ovulation, and thereby conception.

The problem that people have is that when women need the plan B it is because sperm are already injected right? And there is no cervical opposition because there was no month long hormone exposure. So that leaves what as options? Well if it is early enough in the cycle there may not be a ripe egg. But what if it is not? What if there is an egg? Then if that egg is fertilized the plan B works by logically breaking the next link in this chain of biological events. The fertilized egg has nowhere to go literally. That is the exact point that people are disagreeing over.

It is true that a woman can overdose on regular birth control pills to acheive the same result. But that is not how they are intended to be used. I think people struggle with what the plan B is intended for.

 

[CyberLaw]

I read a case that Target, fired 4 Pharmacist for "refusing" to fill legal prescriptions because of their "conscience".

This med has to be taken within a specific time frame, that is why it needs to be kept in stock......because if it is not in stock, you might as well not take it.

So if there is one Pharmacy, in a small town, they don't have it, nor stock it, but "will order" it for you, should be here in a few days. You will be out of luck.

I read an article, that Plan B has prevented 3 million unwanted "babies" amongst College Students.

That is I think from last year, or a year before that.....not sure

. But the point is: 3 million "young women" who are in College, can stay in College, will not be "forced" into being a young Mom with no eduction or skills to support the child, that the "young women" can graduate college, get a job, contribute to society and become producive members, in which when they choose to have a child, they are fully prepared emotionally, physicallly, and financially.

Or the "former" college student, can be the waitress down at the "diner" working for minimum wage and tips, trying to work full time, arrange child care, support her self and her child. Which of course she loves, but can''t help wonder what her life would be like if she only had the choice to be a Mom or not. Or she can stay at home with the child and live off the state.

She can only afford an apartment in a "bad" neighbourhood, works a dead end job because she has no education, can barely put food on the table and gets really stressed so now she is drinking.

So she is 'frustrated" "broke", handling her problems with booze, has no family support or support form the "Dad" and is "resentful" of the child because she now has no life and probably never will.

You wonder why people abuse childrens: All of the above are "predictors" of child abuse. Poverty, living in a bad neighbour, angry and stressed and substance abuse.

 

[mic730]

Wal-Mart Must Stock Contraception in Mass.
Feb 14 12:39 PM US/Eastern


BOSTON


The state board that oversees pharmacies voted Tuesday to require Wal- Mart to stock emergency contraception pills at its Massachusetts pharmacies, a spokeswoman at the Department of Public Health said
more at link...

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/14/D8FP1BPG2.html

 

[BirdieBoo]

Not at all.In a system of Free Enterprise a company does have the right to sell or refuse to sell any given product.The problem here is that liberals like to overlook the foundations of the American system and impose their own warped ideas.I do not think any of the founding fathers would have agreed to the senseless murder of thousands of unborn each year as a mere method of birth control.Quite the contrary they practiced a system of keep your fly zipped and your skirts down.Sadly liberals wanna have their sex and eliminate any unwanted consequenses...Wal Mart should be applauded for their refusal to participate in the murder of kids.

There is the part about how drugs (prescription or otherwise) fall under government regulation and therefore are not really part of the "free enterprise" system. Folks cannot just walk into a pharmacy and say "I want 50 valiums, oh and by the way throw in a few morning after pills and some Viagra. I'll pay whatever you're asking." Drugs are regulated for a reason, and pharmacies do not get to pick and choose which regulations they choose to follow.

As far as the founding fathers keeping their fly zipped, well, first of all, zippers hadn't actually been invented yet. Which may explain the story of Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. Jefferson apparently didn't have a zipper to keep zipped. Neither did Benjamin Franklin, who acknowledged an illegitimate son, William.

And if "libs" are the only ones having sex, how come they haven't taken over the world by now?

 

[KrazyKollector]

I'll be quite honest. I don't know exactly where I stand on the abortion/morning after pill debate. I feel that too many women use abortion as a free method of B/C, BUT, many also do not. Since there is no totally "pc" way to discern between the women who abuse it and the women that truely NEED it, it needs to be available for all.
As horrible as it sounds, I would rather a woman go take a pill/have an abortion, than to bring a life into this world that wasn't going to be loved or cared for. Yes, I am aware that adoption is an option, but not all kids would be adopted and then what would we do?

I may not be comfortable with it all, but women have the right to do as they wish and WalMart should NOT be allowed to make "rules" according to their whim.
It's a legal medication and WalMart should have to carry it or lose their license to dispense medication entirely.

 

[Glow]

I appreciate your honesty and I think that in many ways your viewpoint reflects my own. I too feel torn on this issue. Once upon a time I owned and operated a general store. It did not contain a pharmacy,but the government interference was still relentless. Inspectors, licenses, taxes, out of country labeling, on and on it went. There were so many rules and guidelines to follow that I had to attend classes just to keep up with all of them. All this and try to do your job by your customer which is # 1 and not lose your mind integrating it all.


Businesses make decisions everyday based on their conscience. Restaurants bury questionable vegetables under a cheese sauce as "special of the day." Dry cleaners reuse their chemicals, hospitals hire under trained aides and allow them to dress and act in nursing capacities. It goes on and on.

I personally don't like Walmart. My inability to compete with them is one reason I no longer operate a general store. But I DO respect their right to decide what they will sell in THEIR stores. Take it to another scenario.... if this were a Mom and Pop small business and the government was pushing their way in the front door demanding they sell Muslim prayer books would that be ok too?

If not why? Wouldn't people be screaming about "rights" and freedom of speech (and choice) and the "big brother is watching" scenario?

I wonder when it became ok to demand that people over ride their own conscience, business standard etc... so that everyone would feel their rights were protected.

A portable defibrillator saves more lives in an emergency situation than this pill will save given an "emergency" situation (rape for example) and yet the government doesn't demand that stores have one on hand. Why not?

 

[BirdieBoo]

Many states have enacted or are in the process of enacting defibrillator laws.

Most of the businesses I've worked in in California already have one. In fact at my main job it is right outside the boss's door.

 

[Glow]

Many states have enacted or are in the process of enacting defibrillator laws.

Most of the businesses I've worked in in California already have one. In fact at my main job it is right outside the boss's door.

That is good! I have also heard that Walmart is one of the first "chain" stores to have them :doh: go figure.

 

[proadvocate]

It seems as thou my opinion on abortion and such is not so popular.....LMAO....Not surprising really as few of my opinions are.Perhaps I shall start a Unpopular opinion board 1 day,I would make a wonderful admin for such:truce:

 

[ziggy]

OK so let's have the local hospital stock this drug and even physicians can dispense FROM THEIR OFFICES if they set up the protocols correctly. If local physicians are that worried about women's health, they'll figure out a plan. More often than not, it will create an opportunity for someone else to fill that particualr "nitche".

Let's not have the government tell a private business what they can and cannot do.

It's a huge opportunity for Walgreen's, Rite Aide and CVS in my humble opinion.

I don't even care one bit about the moral aspect - government get out of the free market darn it!

 

[CyberLaw]

You are assuming that women who are raped or sexually assulted, call the cops, they go to the hospital and that the pharmacy at the hospital is open 24/7.

Or you assume that getting a doctors visits on demand is just going to be as easy as pie.

You are assuming(yet again)that a women who had an accident will get a doctors appointment in time to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

I wonder how much a Hospital visit costs to get a prescription for a med, let me see the med costs about 30-40 and the "hospital" visit will cost like 500-600, with the "resulting" paperwork submitted to the "Insurance" company who will kind of say something to the affect: You went to the emergency for a prescription...............

Also how long would one have to wait in the "emergency" department of a hospital, the broken bones, burns, gunshot wounds, and heart attack are doing to be seen first as those are real emergencies.

The reason why at least in the USA there is a lot of government "red tape" in owning or running stores etc, is that these stores, albeit private business are accountable to the public, the community etc.

That is why in a store: The "Government" has to ensure that the place meets all health and safety laws, is fair, is equitable, treats all people the same in language, exporting etc.

Thank Goodness.........because if you left it up to some store owners(not the "responsible" ones,) they would sell un-edible items, questionable items, not legal items, items from other countries that may not be "healthy", have dirt on the floor, rats in the back. etc.

So the Government steps in and says: Clean up your act or we will put you out of business, so as to protect the public.

Just like all stores that sell food and restaurants in my City are inspected, if they fail to meet that inspection, they are "sited" for health and safety reasons. They are required to post their inspection results.

Therefore, the public who may not have know about "un hygenic food and safety" handling of itmes, will now know and the restaurant will not be able to keep it a secret from "the customers" who had no idea that the flour was stored next to the rat poision.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

CNN) -- Wal-Mart pharmacies in Massachusetts must carry emergency contraception pills, the state's pharmacy board has ruled.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy on Tuesday ruled in favor of three women who filed complaints claiming that the stores refused to fill their prescriptions.




http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/02/15/walmart.contraception/index.html

 

[2sisters]

It seems as thou my opinion on abortion and such is not so popular.....LMAO....Not surprising really as few of my opinions are.Perhaps I shall start a Unpopular opinion board 1 day,I would make a wonderful admin for such:truce:

I wouldn't worry about it, in my experience (and i've seen it on alot of threads here) some people just can't take it when you opinion differs from theirs and it can get nasty. There are probably many that share your opinion but are afraid to voice it. The great thing about this country is that we can have different opinions and veiws and voice them freely.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I wouldn't worry about it, in my experience (and i've seen it on alot of threads here) some people just can't take it when you opinion differs from theirs and it can get nasty. There are probably many that share your opinion but are afraid to voice it. The great thing about this country is that we can have different opinions and veiws and voice them freely.

That's also the great thing about this forum! If someone is afraid to voice their opinion on an opinion forum, perhaps they should check out an entertainment website.

 

[proadvocate]

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif I wouldn't worry about it, in my experience (and i've seen it on alot of threads here) some people just can't take it when you opinion differs from theirs and it can get nasty. There are probably many that share your opinion but are afraid to voice it. The great thing about this country is that we can have different opinions and veiws and voice them freely.

I never worry.I am of the opinion that some are blessed with brains and some aren't......1 of my most unpopular opinions is that I am in the minority of those blessed with....LOL.But in all fairness I do consider each opinion before I laff at it,sometimes I even admit I was wrong in my original thoughts on a subject and do modify my opinion.Rare but it does happen.I use these boards to gain a better understanding of both my own opinions and those of my detractors.Without difference the boards do lose their sense of luster and grow quite boring,I still dunno why I limit my own board to 1 opinion....I guess its cause I am tempermental and do not handle arguments well.The joy of WS is that most here agree to disagree....very rare on most boards.

 

[JBean]

It seems as thou my opinion on abortion and such is not so popular.....LMAO....Not surprising really as few of my opinions are.Perhaps I shall start a Unpopular opinion board 1 day,I would make a wonderful admin for such:truce:

I am anti- abortion.
As for all the "unadopted/unwanted" children, I doubt that there are many that wish that their mother had aborted them. but that is JMHO of course.

 

[mic730]

I am personally anit-abortion, anti-RU486, and anti-plan B. I so wish there were no need for the 3 - no unplanned pregancies, no rape, no incest and so on. Where I am also anti are laws that make those 3 choices out of reach for women who may want to choose those options. I don't believe I have the right to make those types of decisions for others.