Newsmax: Wal-Mart caves on morning-after pill

Here is the latest on story covered here previously:

Officials of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced Friday the company will reverse its earlier policy and stock emergency contraception pills in all of its pharmacies effective March 20, saying the giant retailer could not justify being the country's only major pharmacy chain not to carry the morning-after pill.

Especially since they have been facing lawsuits about it. The following is puzzling:

[Ron] Chomiuk [some Wal-Mart guy] said the company will maintain its conscientious objection policy, which it said is consistent with the tenets of the American Pharmaceutical Association. The policy, except where prohibited by law, allows any Wal-Mart or Sam's Club pharmacy employee who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacist or pharmacy.

They sell the pill, but an employee can "refer" customers to another pharmacy? So we would get a dialog like the following?

Customer: Hello, do you stock Plan B?

Worker: I think you'd be happier going to Rite Aid.

Customer: You don't sell it here?

Worker: Er . . . um . . . no.

Customer: You really don't sell it here?

Worker: Actually, we do, but we're out of it.

Customer: So why did you say that you don't sell it here?

Worker: Well . . . er . . . we have this conscientious objection policy . . .

Customer: So you really have some in stock?

Worker: Time for my lunch break!

Tags: lawsuits, morning after pills, Wal-Mart