A so-called “pro-life pharmacy” in Chantilly, Virginia, closed in March due to lack of business. Divine Mercy Care, or DMC Pharmacy, was one of seven anti-choice pharmacies in the country, stated the Washington Times. Products excluded from DMC Pharmacy’s shelves included birth control pills, condoms, porn, tobacco and makeup, according to The Washington Post. Located near a Catholic bookstore, two Catholic parishes and four Catholic churches, the pharmacy was situated in the Diocese of Arlington, with 428,417 members. When it opened its doors in October 2008, Robert Laird, its executive director, told The Washington Times he thought the 50,000 members of the surrounding churches would make for a solid customer base. However, the pharmacy also did not sell retail items such as cosmetics, toys and fast food, so it lacked the convenience of a drugstore or stores like Kmart, both of which were within walking distance, said The Washington Post. US pharmacies are currently regulated at state level. Some states, such as Massachusetts, maintain standards for what a pharmacy is expected to stock. The Massachusetts legislation was tested in the class-action lawsuit against Walmart in 2006, when Walmart was found at fault for failing to stock emergency contraception. Pro-choice advocates in states without such regulations, such as Indiana, Florida and Louisiana, are exploring different avenues, both legislative and legal, to deal with pharmacists who not only refuse to dispense birth control but will not refer clients to a pharmacist who will.
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