Pharmacists For Strife

(Originally published on 3/31/05 @ The American Street.)

...Jamison Foser posted this excellent piece on Media Matters yesterday, and it sheds further light on this post I did Tuesday about the growing number of "conscience clauses" and Pharmacists for Life's involvement in that growth. (This has been an interest of mine for a bit.)

Not only does he explore the background of the group's founder, Karen Brauer, he slams CNN, who interviewed her Tuesday, for their pitiful display of journalistic skills therein. (Is it any wonder National Press Club invites James Guckert to a panel on journalism?)

"...Bill Hemmer teased the segment as a report on the tension between "pharmacist beliefs" and "women's rights," (but) Pharmacists for Life president Karen Brauer appeared by herself to discuss the topic, with no one presenting an opposing view. Further, (interviewer Carol) Costello failed to point out the serious questions about Pharmacists for Life's credibility, ask Brauer about her own credibility problems, or ask Brauer obvious questions about the appropriateness of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions. CNN's treatment of Brauer, though, is consistent with several other news reports that have mentioned her or her organization without explaining their background or giving readers and viewers a full picture of them. "

There's also an interesting tie-in to the Schiavo controversy (yes, PFL is in on that, too), and a revealing bit on Brauer's refusal to fill, not only birth control prescriptions, but those for diet pills, too. And just in case you think they were satisfied with just withholding pills, he wraps it up with this:

"And a caption on a photo accompanying a February 2 Santa Fe New Mexican article suggests that Pharmacists for Life's agenda may go well beyond pharmacies. The caption reads:

GRAPHIC: 1. Sen. Bill Sharer, left, R-Farmington, meets Tuesday with supporters of his bill defining marriage in New Mexico as only between a man and a woman. Meeting with Sharer are representatives of the Pharmacists for Life and Life League of New Mexico, Abran Gabaldon, former Sen. Tom Benavides of Albuquerque and Manuel Rodriguez. "

Go read!