The Washington state Board of Pharmacy on Thursday adopted a proposal concerning the statewide dispensation of emergency contraception, which can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Rowe, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/1). The pharmacy board action comes in light of a stalemate between women's advocacy groups and the Washington State Pharmacy Association over the language of a proposed rule that would allow pharmacists who oppose EC to refuse to fill prescriptions for the medication. The proposed rule also says that pharmacists cannot "obstruct a patient in obtaining a lawfully prescribed drug or device" and that they must make an alternative available in a timely fashion if they "cannot dispense" a prescription. Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) last week proposed a compromise that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescription and nonprescription EC only if the drugs could be provided by another pharmacist in the same pharmacy (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/31). The proposal adopted by the Board of Pharmacy says that pharmacists have a "duty to dispense lawfully prescribed ... drugs or medical devices." It also lists exceptions to the rule, which do not include personal beliefs (AP/KGW TV, 9/1). The pharmacy board must hold public hearings on the compromise proposal, which might be objected to by many pharmacists, according to the Seattle Times (Ostrom, Seattle Times, 9/1). According to Steve Saxe, former executive director of the pharmacy board, the board likely will grant final approval to the proposal's language close to the end of this year (AP/KGW TV, 9/1).