Chilean bishops defend company's refusal to sell morning-after pill

Published: 2007-11-09

SANTIAGO, Chile (CNS) -- Chilean Catholic bishops have defended a Chilean pharmaceutical company's right to refuse to sell the morning-after pill because it considers the drug abortive. Auxiliary Bishop Fernando Chomali Garib of Santiago, a member of the bishops' bioethics commission, wrote in early November that forcing the pharmaceutical industry to sell the drug is wrong. At least one pharmaceutical company said the government is forcing it to sell the drug. "To force salespeople, pharmacists and pharmacy executives, as well as pharmacy shareholders and owners, to collaborate materially and formally in the sale of a product that is harmful to health ... constitutes not only an abuse of power ... but also an act of intolerance in the name of tolerance. ... Refusing to participate in an injustice is not only a moral duty, but also a fundamental right," Bishop Chomali said. In mid-October, the Chilean Health Ministry fined three pharmaceutical companies that control 90 percent of the Chilean market for not selling Levonorgestrel 0.75 as required by law. The companies are appealing the fines of $68,000 each.

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