Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Judge to rule on Wash. pharmacies selling Plan B 

TACOMA, Wash. — A federal judge plans to rule on whether Washington state can require pharmacies to stock and sell Plan B or other emergency contraceptives. Washington requires pharmacies to sell any drug that's in demand. Plan B can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after sex and is available without a prescription to anyone over 17. Ralph's Thriftway in Olympia and two licensed pharmacists sued in 2007, saying that dispensing Plan B would infringe on their religious beliefs because it can prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. The state argues that the rule is constitutional because it applies to all drugs and promotes the timely delivery of medicine that becomes less effective as time passes. Judge Ronald Leighton in Tacoma says he will issue his ruling Wednesday.

The Associated Press (“AP”) is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from the AP. Founded in 1846, the AP today is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering. The AP considers itself to be the backbone of the world’s information system, serving thousands of daily newspaper, radio, television, and online customers with coverage in text, photos, graphics, audio and video.