The only problem I have with this doctors position is the last moment nature of his objection, regardless of whether it puts the lady at greater risk. He should have done his research. And frankly, I think his patient should know her doctors position(s) on such issues(assuming it was the family doctor). Meaning why hadn't this come up sooner, y'know?

I have got to wonder if you know your doctor's position on such issues. This is a great dividing line between men and women as men will never run into a problem like this. The woman was getting a referral to have cancer removed from her body. This is a life threatening disease and I know she was thinking only of herself and not whether her primary care physician (not necessarily what one would call a "family" doctor) would approve of the surgeon or not. A lot of the time if one has an HMO, you don't get much choice anyway.

Too, as with the pharmacist(s), I believe freedom of conscience is imparitive, in the US and everywhere. Give me a reason why one should be forced to sell an item they disagree with the usage/ outcome of. Say cocaine was legalized and the pharmacist in your neighborhood objected(despite the initial line around the corner). Once word got out, the line would form elsewhere. I guess my solution were I a pharmacist, would be to put a sign in the window stating what items I don't distribute, and perhaps why.

Freedom of choice is wonderful, however, pharmacists sign some sort of creed that basically says they won't with hold any sort of drugs from anyone. Perhaps if they did put a sign up that would alleviate some of the problem. But what if this is the only pharmacist for miles? Get one's drugs online, I expect, for as long as the Bushies let us? Some women are prescribed birth control pills for other reasons than stopping getting pregnant. Of course, if there was a decent birth control system for men, we wouldn't have to worry about that part of it either. I don't see the comparison between birth control and cocain as viable.

In your view is that unreasonable?

I am hardly in the position to call anyone's view unreasonable.

One of the ideals the founders were striving toward was complete freedom of conscience. Meaning a great majority thought it essential that this be a nation where anyone could believe what they wished, openly and peaceably. Many espoused that it was the governments duty to insure that proposition. I think our nation, and leaders need to return to that standard.

Hear hear.