RICHMOND, Va. — A Central Virginia pharmacist clarified concerns surrounding Virginia’s abortion laws following a tweet that went viral earlier this month. The tweet was posted by a woman in Northern Virginia on July 4.
“I live in Virginia,” it read. “I’m on low-dose naltrexone as an off-label treatment for long Covid to reduce clotting. My pharmacy won’t refill my Rx because it can cause miscarriage.”
CBS 6 reached out to the Virginia Pharmacists Association (VPA) to learn more about any possible changes to laws following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
VPA President-elect Dr. Leonard Edloe retired after selling a chain of family-owned pharmacies in Central Virginia about a decade ago. He still offers his services and expertise to neighbors and organizations around the Commonwealth.
So far, 20 states have restricted or banned abortions since the Dobbs decision. No laws, rules, or regulations in Virginia have changed, Edloe advised.
Dr. Edloe said he didn’t know the specifics of the woman’s interactions. However, he stated that it is a pharmacist’s duty to ensure a certain medication does not negatively impact the patient.
He addressed the concerns surrounding naltrexone specifically, which is most used for drug or alcohol addiction. Recently, it has been prescribed as a possible treatment for COVID-19, but its full impacts have not been studied.
The drug is known to cause miscarriage, so a pharmacist may require that the patient is not pregnant before prescribing the medication, according to the pharmacist.
“These drugs are so complicated, and they have so many drug interactions,” Dr. Edloe explained. “The last thing I want to do is dispense a drug and then that drug have an adverse effect on the patient because I didn't follow up and find out everything I should with that patient.”
If a pharmacist is unwilling to prescribe a certain drug, then you should seek another pharmacy.
Dr. Edloe admitted that he would not prescribe Plan B for moral and religious reasons when he actively practiced pharmacy.
“I dispensed contraceptives, but personally, I did not dispense Plan B. But I would allow my other pharmacists the professional prerogative. If I wasn't there, I would refer them to another pharmacy.”
He described it as a moral judgment.
“To me, it is your duty to let them go or refer them to somebody else,” Edloe recalled. “I believe everybody has a choice and I don't believe in making anybody do anything.”
It is also a federal right to ask your pharmacist questions about your medication, he said.
The woman who posted the tweet did not return several messages for comment. She later tweeted that she was able to solve her problem.
While Virginia's abortion law remains unchanged following the Supreme Court's Roe. v. Wade decision, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin wants lawmakers in the politically divided General Assembly to take up legislation next year, saying he personally would favor banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
