Minnesota (USA): Not filling an EC prescription constitutes discrimination

ByCristina Puig

March 2024. In January 2019 a pharmacist refused to fill a prescription for the ulipristal acetate emergency contraception pill (ECP), in Aitkin County (a rural area of Minnesota) citing his religious believes. The case was brought to the county court in August 2022, where the jury found that the pharmacist had not discriminated against the woman trying to procure EC.  

On March 18, however, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that a pharmacist’s refusal to fill a woman’s prescription for ECPs based on his personal beliefs constitutes illegal sex discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act.  Read more about this case and this first-of-its-kind decision on the Gender Justice’s website and press release. Gender Justice is the legal and policy advocacy organization that filled the lawsuit.

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