LGBTQ Commission investigates Kansas City pharmacy for discrimination after Star report
The LGBTQ Commission of Kansas City is investigating whether the Costco pharmacy on Linwood Boulevard may be in violation of a city nondiscrimination ordinance.
At least three transgender patients have reported that the pharmacy refused to fill testosterone prescriptions for their gender affirming care. The city commission released a statement Thursday morning saying it is taking the allegations “very seriously” and is looking into any possible violations the pharmacy may have committed.
After hearing from two of these patients, The Star reported last week on some of the barriers to accessing testosterone prescriptions in the state of Missouri. A third patient who was denied testosterone at the same Costco pharmacy then contacted The Star after the story was published.
Justin Short, who represents District 4 on the city’s LGBTQ Commission and is also running for city council, said the pharmacy may be violating a 1993 city ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in Kansas City.
“The community can rest assured if the LGBTQ Commission discovers that nefarious actions have occurred by Costco or a particular pharmacist, we will put the full force of (the) community behind positive change for those most impacted,” Short wrote in the statement.
While the Costco may be violating a city ordinance, a spokesperson for the state pharmacy board told The Star that the pharmacy is not violating state law by refusing to fill these prescriptions.
“Missouri law does not prohibit pharmacies from using their discretion and setting their own policies/procedures on which prescriptions they are willing to fill,” spokesperson Lori Croy wrote in an email last week.
Why is it complicated to get testosterone in Missouri?
Regulations like state dispensing limits as well as the size of vials that pharmaceutical companies produce testosterone doses in can make it difficult for pharmacies to dispense doses for patients.
This has led some to accuse the pharmacy in question of discriminating against transgender patients by refusing to fill their prescriptions. Testosterone is widely used for hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, by older adults as well as members of the transgender and nonbinary community.
The Costco pharmacy was not reachable Thursday morning to comment on the investigation. Pharmacy staff have previously told The Star over the phone that they cannot speak to members of the media. An inquiry made to Costco’s corporate offices by The Star last month was not returned.
“This is not the way that Kansas City should be operating,” Short told The Star. “This is not the way that we curate a welcoming and inclusive Kansas City.”
We will update this piece when more information becomes available.
Have you been denied testosterone or another medication at a Kansas City pharmacy? The Service Journalism team wants to hear about it. Contact the author of this piece at nwallington@kcstar.com or email the full team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 9:47 AM.
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