I would rather talk about progestins than politics almost any day of the week — they are far more predictable and cause less constipation and nausea. But the recent decision by the Supreme Court concerning Hobby Lobby and whether they have the right to not cover certain specific types of contraception has gotten so much attention from the media that silence seems almost sinful.

Progestins and politics have come together. As a pharmacist (and U.S. citizen), I suppose it is incumbent upon me to say something.

Just in case you missed it, this article is about the Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby contraception case in which the Supreme Court narrowly decided (5 to 4) in favor of Hobby Lobby on June 30. The case surfaced because the Affordable Care Act required "for profit" businesses to cover (at no cost) certain forms of birth control which the Green family (owners of Hobby Lobby) found to be contrary to their moral and religious convictions.

The decision resulted in explosions of anger and joy across various organizations across the nation. I read the articles and watched the debate with various degrees of amusement and disgust. Here's my opinion on these things, for what it’s worth:

First, I cannot count the number of articles I have read that suggested Hobby Lobby was refusing to cover contraception altogether. Some articles even portrayed this company as reluctant to provide any healthcare coverage for their employees. Still other critics chose to paint the picture that this employer was anti-woman.

Exaggeration is typically the weapon of those who are afraid of the truth, or too lazy to find it. All of these characterizations of Hobby Lobby are, of course, patently wrong. Their prescription benefits cover all sorts of oral contraceptives; they offer a full spectrum of health benefits and probably cater more to women (both employees and shoppers) than the average company does.

Second, from a pharmaceutical perspective, the owners of Hobby Lobby decided that a specific oral product (known as "Plan B") and certain intrauterine devices (IUDs) or intrauterine systems (IUSs) were not in keeping with their Christian faith. They apparently believe these products cause an abortion, and given the massive amount of confusion around these medications, I cannot say that I blame them.

However, from a medical perspective, the owners are mistaken. None of these products are "abortifacients." Many studies have been done to explain the mechanism of action (MOA) that makes these forms of contraception work. They prevent the release of an egg ovulation. It's possible, but less likely, that they may also make it more difficult for sperm to reach the egg.

Because Plan B (levonorgestrel) is used "after" the fact, it is sometimes assumed that it works by destroying an already fertilized egg. But this is just a misunderstanding of the biology involved. The science is pretty clear. If Plan B is used after ovulation, the rate of pregnancy is the same as if it wasn't used at all. In other words, Plan B does nothing to stop the implantation of an already fertilized egg.

Finally, as I mentioned already, I do not blame the owners of Hobby Lobby for their opinions. The issue is confusing, and the contradictory information available on popular websites doesn't help.

Whether they were right or wrong, however, doesn't settle the issue. The question remains of whether the Green family, as business owners, should be free to decide how to run their own business and benefits. You may disagree, but I personally am glad the Supreme Court upheld their right to make this choice.

I believe our nation and our liberties are better protected when both businesses and people are allowed to make their own decisions. Remember, no one who works for Hobby Lobby has to work there, nor are they denied access to any of these products if they choose to purchase them. It's merely a question of who pays.

Frankly, I find the whole debate somewhat depressing. It is sad that we as a nation talk more about pregnancy prevention rather than pregnancy promotion. Half of pregnancies today are unplanned. Family sizes are getting smaller. Abortions are still way too frequent.

The backbone of a great society and culture is a strong family. Children are a blessing. And I would much rather spend my energy promoting the value of families and children and homes than slugging it out over the politics of prevention.