Federal health officials reminded U.S. pharmacies on Wednesday that they must comply with federal civil rights laws in the decisions they make about supplying and dispensing medicine. This comes after multiple news reports of pharmacists refusing to fill some prescriptions for medications used for abortion, after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
The guidance clarifies that pharmacists may not discriminate against pharmacy customers "with regard to supplying medications; making determinations regarding the suitability of a prescribed medication for a patient; or advising patients about medications and how to take them," according to a press release from the Department of Health and Human Services.
