Walgreens pharmacist cites religion in denying meds to trans man
For nearly three years, Roscoe Rike has been picking up his hormone-replacement therapy prescriptions at the same Walgreens in Oakland without a hitch.
That changed on Monday when the 30-year transgender man said he was denied his medication because of the pharmacist’s religious beliefs.
“It was just really surreal,” said Rike, who recorded part of the exchange at the pharmacy. “I know that transphobia and transphobic people exist, but that was my first experience of a perfect stranger doing something like that to my face.”
The exchange occurred Monday morning at the Walgreens in the 5000 block of Telegraph Avenue.
In a statement, a Walgreens spokesperson said the company was unable to discuss specific patients but said policies were in place to assure all patients are helped even in the “very rare” situation when employees have a religious belief that prevents them from helping the customer.
“In an instance where a team member has a religious or moral conviction that prevents them from meeting a patient’s need, we require the team member to refer the patient to another employee or manager on duty who can complete the transaction,” the statement read. “These instances, however, are very rare.”
The spokesperson confirmed that the company was reviewing the Oakland incident.
On Monday, Rike said he’d spoken to a Walgreens employee earlier that day to make sure his medication was ready for pickup but sensed something was awry when the pharmacist behind the counter unexpectedly asked him why he was taking the medication.
“I was like, ‘I don’t think that’s any of your business, really,’” Rike said. “I was initially confused for a second, but right away I could sense that, OK, we’re doing this.”
The pharmacist then told Rike he would have to call his doctor to find out what the medication was for. When Rike pushed back, the pharmacist told him that he wouldn’t give him the prescription because of his religious beliefs.
That’s when Rike said he decided to record the encounter on his phone.
“So right now, you’re going to tell me you’re going to deny me my medication because of your personal religion?” Rike is heard saying in the video. “You’re not my [expletive] doctor.”
The pharmacists is seen looking at a computer screen and clicking on a mouse silently for a few seconds.
“So you think you know better than my doctor? Is that what’s going on?” Rike asked.
“I just need to know your diagnosis,” the pharmacist responded.
“Why? That’s none of your [expletive] business!” Rike said. “It’s always the religious people that have the most [expletive] hate in their hearts. You’re disgusting.”
During the incident, Rike said the pharmacist told him he could return to the store after noon, but that seemed unfair to him.
“Why should I have to wait two hours for something that’s ready?” he said. “Only thing that is keeping me from getting my medicine, that my doctor prescribed me, is this dude not doing his job.”
When Rike asked to speak with the manager, he said, the pharmacist ignored him.
Another employee contacted a manager, who apologized for the incident and gave Rike his medication.
Rike said he’s aware that pharmacists are allowed to refer patients to someone else if they have a religious objection but that doesn’t make sense.
“If you follow a religion that is going to prevent you from doing your job and provide medical care to people, then you need to not be in the medical profession dealing with the public,” he said.
Since Monday, Rike has considered changing pharmacies, or signing up for a home delivery service. He said he doesn’t want to deal with a similar situation again.
He hesitates to make any changes just yet, though.
“There’s a part of me that’s like, why do I have to change how I do things? I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “I should just be able to go to my local pharmacy and get my medication like everyone else.”
Any field that deals with the public really.
Or, you know, anything science-based at all? Had anyone ever heard of a respected pro geologist being a devout flat-earther? Maybe an astronomer that is resolutely confident the moon is made of cheese? Or, perhaps someone's heard of that heart surgeon that consults a patient's aura for pre-op guidance. 😬
I'd really love it if one of these shit for brains could point out the passage in the bible that mandates withholding medication to trans people
Unfortunately, these rotten sewer fuck pieces of human garbage have never read the Bible, only heard what pastor Steve has to say about it.
The pharmacist may or may not be Christian, the articles do not specify what religion Malik Tahir, the pharmacist at this location, follows.
Absolutely terrible practice either way
By allowing this, Walgreens just emboldens other religious extremists. I’m on a hormone blocker to hopefully avoid a breast cancer recurrence; should I be prepared to ‘prove’ my diagnosis to Walgreens pharmacists before getting my medication?
My dad and grandfather were both pharmacists — and both Southern Baptists. They’d never have compromised the level of patient care they provided to make a religious/political point.
Yeah you absolutely are in danger of people denying you the hormone blockers out of transphobia. Hopefully you are in a place where this isn't tolerated.
This should be grounds for immediate revocation of his license.
I hope the patient lodged a formal complaint with the California State Board of Pharmacy (have seen a lot of folks just go to the media, forgetting that there are authorizing bodies involved in any medical service). As per the 2023 Lawbook for Pharmacy:
If the pharmacist in question did NOT previously inform Walgreen's of their religious objection to hormone treatments for trans people, in writing, before this incident, they are in violation of this. At minimum, Walgreen's should discipline or can the guy. I do not know what disciplinary or administrative actions re: the board would apply here, but I don't think suspension of license or fines are off the table (there's details on disciplinary stuff in the document, but like all such documents it's lengthy and I didn't dig further).
That said, commenting from another country, so idk.
Source: https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/laws_regs/lawbook.pdf - Page 373-374
This is the way.
Ah yes because religious text clearly states to deny trans people their meds
My religion requires me to punch you in the face. Are we both going to observe, or are we both going to be sensible?
I'd observe that...violence isn't the answer but it sounds so good sometimes
Someone it is the answer, unfortunately. We cannot tolerate the intolerant.
People who refuse to do their jobs should be fired. If I work tech support I don't get to tell Windows users I won't help them because I like MacOS better. Do your job, or get another. If your moral conflict is that great, dealing directly with the public is the wrong line of work.
I completely agree with you, if you're going to have moral conflicts then it's not the job for you. That transaction could've gone so easily but they chose to make a big deal about it.
Omg so true!
Imagine going up to the counter and buying some chips, only to be told by the person at the register that they won't sell it to you because you're too fat, and it says in the Bible that your body is a temple. I mean, you could make that argument to prevent me from buying some Doritos, or any of the unhealthy products they sell at Walgreens (ostensibly a health care facility), but maybe you're better off shrugging your shoulders, letting the chonker have his tortilla chips, and letting the line advance so everyone can get what they came to buy and just go home.
We have things to do. You want to hit me with a sermon, you can use the local church for that. Walgreens isn't the place for it.
As a pharmacist myself, this shit pisses me off to no end. While we have a right to refuse, it should be used to save lives and mitigate problems (drug interactions, disease interactions, etc) ... not CAUSE more problems.
Fortunately most pharmacists I know don't give 2 shits about birth control or HRT or plan B... but those very very few ruin the profession for the rest of us. It is why I got out of retail and went hospital, plus I can have more direct impact on patient health than sitting behind a counter arguing with insurance all day long.
TLDR: Fuck this guy
I think it's one thing if the pharmacist just quietly handed off the task of providing the prescription to someone else who was there to keep things moving, but what seems like the attempt to deliberately obstruct was well over the line.
Do your fucking job, pharmacist. Or GTFO.
Join me in boycotting Walgreens
My wife and I have already moved our prescriptions away from Walgreens and we never set foot in their stores over their repeated history of bullshit like this. I highly recommend everyone do the same because this is far from an isolated incident.
Walgreens bought out my small local friendly pharmacy and immediately closed it without telling any customers or staff ahead of time, meaning I had to scramble to get important medication... Oh, and Walgreens didn't tell any customers about this, the staff spent a full day (including after hours) calling people and making sure they got their meds. Apparently this is a common tactic of theirs. Walgreens is a vile company.
They deployed this exact tactic in my small town. Fuckers.
I've been boycotting them for over a year, this policy isn't new.
Religious people are against my belief, but I'm not going to irrationally fuck them over or do shit like this because what they do is against my belief.
This type of behavior that the pharmacist did should 100% be illegal in all parts of the world. Why is it not? Going against established systems to patients or endusers like this as a peon (not trying to change the soc, but instead acting against them against also the patient's will) should be an imprisonable action that also results in loss of any license or certifications. You just can't do stuff like this, it's hugely immoral.
Even if you're the prescribing doctor, religion is not a medical reason to influence a decision for care. It undermines the integrity of the entire system and does nothing but harass and cause unnecessary and irrational harm on real people.
Like, if the doctor said "this is what you should do for that, medically, but my religion believes it's wrong", THAT would be horrible enough. But to outright refuse on religious grounds? Outrageous. I'm blown away that such an important and previously respected profession allows people like this.
We gotta ask ourselves: why is this type of thing where it is in society? We all know and can prove it's wrong and should be illegal. So why the fuck isn't it? It's not some kids getting high at home, it's not people choosing to be in a cult - it's literal medicine. Imagine if it was a heart attack and that just up and said "mmm, nope you're against my religion." I'm gonna go be a fucking paramedic and research people before I help them and be their fucking life judge, and if anybody tries to cross me, I'll beat them down because helping them is so against my belief. Like.... That's super messed up.
maybe we should start actively shunning christians until they clean up their motherfucking act
Shit they already think they're fucking persecuted. Can you imagine?
Might as well make it true 🤷
Imagine a paramedic that just says whatever happens to someone is God's will and it's against their religion to intervene in that. So they just watch people die.
I know christians (or any religion) find interpretations of their religious texts to confirm their biases, but I can't for the life of me think of a bible passage that can be interpreted as anti-trans.
It's like the "religious" rejection of COVID vaccines. Conservatives complain about the "race card", but this "religion card" is some bullshit.
Jesus: love thy neighbor
Conservatives: but what if they're trans?
Jesus: Did I stutter?
Can I speak to your manager? You're not the tanned, Swedish Christ I saw in the church brochure!
I am he.
How can medical professionals be allowed this and maintain a license how about that hippocratic oath?
Walgreens allows this shit for birth control and abortion pills also. Don't go there if you actually want your meds
Your Right to "Freedom of Religion" ends where it infringes upon others'.
That's right: Other people with different views exist and they have Rights too...
How long until pharmacists are replaced by machines and automation? Feel like they do have value, but from a certain standpoint, having a machine that can confirm and distribute medications seems a hell of a lot easier.
Give Americans Universal Basic Income, healthcare, education etc and lives will improve in so many ways. Once this is done, automate as much as possible.
Yes however they will do the second bit first, and the first bit after 15 years of argument.
From what I see. I believe this
sad that this is still happening so much
Fuck Walgreens. Had they pulled that shit with me then they would no longer get my money. That employee should be fired.
It’s good that religious beliefs are protected. BUT, if your religious beliefs prevent you from doing your job, then you’re not qualified for the job. Nobody has the right to interfere with another person’s medical decisions because of their “beliefs”.
Insisting on knowing the patients diagnosis was none of the pharmacist’s business. Even asking was way out of line. They were completely inappropriate, and I’d be amazed if the pharmacists behavior wasn’t a major violation of company policy. That, by itself, should get them fired.
Also they told the patient to come back 2 hours later when there was already someone else available (the manager) to dispense the medication. This is a clear violation of Walgreen's stated policy.
Imagine working at McDonald's and telling a customer you won't give him his cheeseburger because of your religious beliefs.
Walgreens had a specific compromise policy that he violated; he’ll be fired in a heartbeat and his discrimination suit will go nowhere. He’ll probably take in a healthy amount of “legal defense funds” from the faithful and hateful, though. Because ‘Murica.
FWIW - Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs is a very good online alternative to retail pharmacies, especially for long term medications. Roscoe shouldn’t have to deal with this in the first place, but it’s a safer option and has always been the lowest price for me. Free social media plug for the billionaire gouging us less to stay alive - also ‘Murica.
as someone who takes many medications and has had to deal with pharmacy nonsense for years... was this the pharmacist, or were they a pharm tech paid $7.50 an hour? not that that somehow justifies the denial. rather, it makes sense that when someone can get an "easier" position (easier in quotes because i've heard being a pharm tech is really difficult - but again, iirc, it's a job a lot of people can get) that they would end up in this situation where they choose to deny filling someone's medication. i imagine most actual pharmacists won't be denying medication (but it DOES happen, no denying that, just less likely imo).
if this was a pharm tech, i would have demanded to speak with the pharmacist. especially since THEY can decide whether or not i "need" a certain medication. if they won't get the pharmacist, get the walgreen's manager, or just shout for the pharmacist to come to the front. the actual pharmacists can be soooooooo busy, so they could easily be tuning out what's going on at the counter. lots of customers can be frustrated - what do you mean my insurance doesn't cover this? this doesn't look like my normal meds! i'm not paying that price, charge me less! etc etc. so any confrontation going on up front is just a regular part of the job, and can be something you just tune out.
also sharing this info so people know what to do, if they should find themselves in this unfortunate situation.
I know christians (or any religion) find interpretations of their religious texts to confirm their biases, but it's not /easy/ to read the bible as anti-trans. Link
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Seems a bit overblown when they can get refered because of religious conflict. Its a better compromise than "sorry you cant work here because of your religion"
Last I checked, not too many Orthodox Jews work at the Oscar Meyer factory, either. Some careers are just incompatible with religious beliefs. If you're a Hindu who works at McDonald's, and you refuse to sell me a Big Mac, maybe I'm not the one with the problem here?
(Oh yeah, I forgot. This is AMERICA. Freedom of religion only applies to Christians.)
I mean, the best "compromise" is for the person to do their fucking job.
If they have an objection to what is required to do their job, they're more than welcome to quit or begin looking for a position somewhere else that doesn't require them to perform the work that they're objecting to.
It's not "sorry you cant work here because of your religion", it's "sorry you can't refuse to do your job if you want to work here".
What is the line between religion and personal opinion? In all likelihood, this person has no hope of truthfully articulating how doing their job conflicts with their religion. If we're extending formal employment protections to open bigotry/opinions, society is going to go down the shitter in a real quick hurry.