Catholic pharmacist in Australia criticized for adhering to Catholic teaching

Sydney, Australia, Oct 12, 2009 / 22:56 pm

A Catholic pharmacist in Australia has come under criticism for his decision to stop selling contraceptives and condoms.

Trevor Dal Broi, who runs East Griffith Pharmacy in New South Wales, is now handing out a leaflet to women with prescriptions for the contraceptive pill, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The leaflets say he accepts the teachings of the Catholic Church on artificial contraception and that he has a moral objection to dispensing them.

Dal Broi, who is married with four children, did not explain his decision to the press. He has also banned the sale of emergency contraception pills. The pills have been available without a prescription for between $20 and $30 since 2004.

New South Wales Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt told the Sydney Morning Herald there was no legislation that compelled a pharmacist to supply or stock any medicine. She claimed that experts believe condoms play a very important role in preventing sexually transmitted diseases.

Family Planning New South Wales chief executive officer Ann Brassil said her organization also believes that without access to condoms and contraceptives, high rates of “unplanned pregnancies” and sexually transmitted infections will result.

In the United States, some Catholic pharmacists have also taken a stand against selling contraceptives.

Bob Laird, the executive director of Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy, told CNA last year that people are choosing not to use birth control and are instead selecting other options. “Birth control is not good health care.  Birth control makes healthy reproductive organs sick and prevents the marital act from completion.  This is not healthcare.  Birth control is a lifestyle choice,” Laird said, adding that, “Many [people] reject such choices for moral and health reasons.”