Target Corporation: Pharmacists’ Acts of Conscience and the “Plan B” Pill

Abstract

In September 2005, Rachel Pourchot entered a Target store in Fenton, Missouri, intending to fill prescriptions for Ortho TriCyclen, a common hormonal contraceptive, and for Levonorgestrel, an emergency contraceptive known as the “Plan B” pill. Target’s pharmacist, however, told her that he would not fill the prescription for Levonorgestrel on moral and religious grounds. As competitors Walgreen’s and Wal-Mart made their positions clear on the issue of pharmacists’ acts of conscience, Target Corporation struggled with an appropriate response that would satisfy the needs of its customers and its employees, while protecting the reputation of the firm at the same time.