An Open Letter to Kroger Pharmacy Management

Cincinnati, OH

Dear Kroger Management:

Thanks to the management of the Rome, GA Kroger store for permitting  
the pharmacists clinical discretion to not carry Plan B, the morning after pill.

Though there is expected to be pressure from planned 
parenthood employees and supporters to carry this drug in all locations, it is readily observable that most people wish not to obtain treatment for STDs and methods to end unplanned pregnancies from usual community pharmacies.

Clinic settings have been more often 
preferred for these types of treatments.   Stocking the morning after 
pill, and providing adequate information to the patient are a 

significant burden to community pharmacies in most locations.

The privacy to adequately counsel about these drugs is not usually available.

Kroger pharmacists, and prospective new employees would appreciate 
retaining the discretion to choose whether or not to dispense Plan B, 
due to its attendant clinical, social and ethical difficulties.  There 
is a significant portion of the U.S. population which continues 

appreciate the availability of pharmacists who share their ethical concerns.

Kroger could choose to be the company which employs 
pharmacists who are permitted to make independent clinical decisions 
for the welfare of their patients, or it can be like the other big  

corporations with pharmacy chains.

A side note:  When I began in community pharmacy, I was permitted to 
refuse to dispense  unhealthy diet pill combinations to patients.  
(Some of these are now completely off the market.)  Unfortunately the 
current, publicly stated, Kroger pharmacy policy indicates that my 
decision to move into hospital pharmacy was wise, and that it will be 
permanent.


Karen L. Brauer MS, RPh
Indiana