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DENTON, Texas (AP) -- About 40 people gathered outside an Eckerd pharmacy Monday, protesting what they said was a decision to deny a rape victim a prescription for the morning-after pill.
A spokesman for the Florida-based company confirmed that Eckerd has taken disciplinary action in response to an incident at the store.
"Apparently there was a request for a prescription to be filled and the prescription was denied based on a moral or ethical decision made by the pharmacist, and that's not in accordance with our corporate policy," said Joan Gallagher, vice president of communications for Largo, Florida-based Eckerd Corp.
Gallagher told the Denton Record-Chronicle that she could provide no other details.
The protesters carried signs. Some stood silently and others chanted slogans.
Morning-after pills have been sold under the brand names Plan B and Preven since 1998. Taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse, the hormone pills are at least 75 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
An unidentified friend of the woman seeking the prescription told the newspaper she got the drug from a neighboring pharmacy.
Gay Dodson, executive director of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, said state law allows pharmacists to decline filling prescriptions if the medication could harm the patient.
"The law does not say that the pharmacy can decline because of moral ground," she said.
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