The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether to hear a case regarding a regulation in the state of Washington that prohibits pharmacies from refusing to fill prescriptions based on the prescription holder's religious beliefs.

An announcement regarding the Supreme Court's decision could occur as early as this week.

National and state pharmacy associations believe the rule could harm a pharmacy's ability to choose which medications to stock and could force pharmacists to violate their own beliefs over medications such as emergency contraception.

Thirteen states, including Arizona, and groups such as the American Pharmacists Association have filed briefs in the case supporting the pharmacists.

The Washington Board of Pharmacy has commented that the rule still allows pharmacists to refuse filling of a prescription based on religious reasons as long as the patients promptly receive medications they have been prescribed.

A federal appeals judge upheld the ruling in July, reversing the decision of a lower court.