Court to Determine if Pharmacist's Refusal of Emergency Contraception Prescription Constitutes Discrimination

Attorneys argued in the Minnesota Court of Appeals that a pharmacist who refused to fill a woman's emergency contraception prescription in 2019 discriminated against her based on her sex, while the pharmacist's attorney claimed his refusal was due to religious beliefs and not a violation of state and federal law. A jury previously ruled that the pharmacist did not discriminate, but an appeal was filed. The panel of judges now has 90 days to rule on the appeal. The case raises questions about access to emergency contraceptives and the balance between religious beliefs and discrimination.