Washington Court Keeps Injunction Against Pharmacy Board Rules

Last November, a Washington federal district court granted a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of Washington state pharmacy rules requiring pharmacists to fill requests for Plan B emergency contraceptives even if doing so violates the pharmacists' religious beliefs. (See prior posting.) The AP and the Seattle Times report that last Friday the court refused a request by the state that it lift the preliminary injunction as to everyone except the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The court also rejected the state's request to stay further proceedings in the case while the preliminary injunction is appealed. All of this means that enforcement of the state rules is still enjoined and the trial on the request for a permanent injucnction scheduled for October will go ahead.