Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CVS Apologizes After Transgender Woman Says Pharmacist Wouldn't Fill Her Hormone Therapy Prescription
The New York Times: Transgender Woman Says CVS Pharmacist Refused To Fill Hormone Prescription
A transgender woman in Arizona said this week that a CVS Health pharmacist refused to fill a prescription for hormone therapy, prompting the drugstore company to apologize, say the conduct violated its policy and note that the pharmacist was no longer employed there. Hilde Hall, who lives in Fountain Hills, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix, said in a statement posted Thursday on the American Civil Liberties Union’s website that she went to the pharmacy in April after receiving her first prescriptions for hormone therapy. Ms. Hall, 25, said a CVS pharmacist refused to fill one of the prescriptions, did not provide a reason and then declined to return her doctor’s prescription note. (Jacobs, 7/20)
The Associated Press: CVS Apologizes To Transgender Woman For Prescription Denial
The company apologized on social media Friday saying the pharmacist is no longer an employee. CVS says it has a history of supporting LGBTQ rights, helping to develop a guide for pharmacy care for gay, lesbian and transgender customers. The apology comes after Hilde Hall shared her experience on the American Civil Liberties Union’s website. (7/21)
Arizona Republic: Transgender Woman Speaks Out After Being Denied Hormone Prescription
A transgender woman in Arizona is speaking out after she says a CVS pharmacist denied her hormone prescription. The pharmacist questioned her loudly in front of other customers and rejected her and her doctor's requests to transfer the prescription to another location, Hilde Hall said in a blog post published on the ACLU of Arizona's website Thursday. (Palmieri, 7/20)
