In a blow for states that use the death penalty via lethal injection, pharmaceutial giant Pfizer is now ensuring that none of its drugs will be used for this practice.
According to the New York Times, Pfizer is now limiting the sale of seven drugs commonly used in lethal injections to certain distributors, and are requiring the distributors prove that they will not resell these products to corrections departments.
“Pfizer makes its products to enhance and save the lives of the patients we serve,” the company said on Friday. ” Consistent with these values, Pfizer strongly objects to the use of its products as lethal injections for capital punishment.” You can read the full statement on their policy change here.
Pfizer follows 20 other companies in American and Europe who have recently restricted the sale of these drugs in order to prevent them from being used in lethal injections. Pfizer’s move effectively applies this restriction to all FDA-approved manufacturers. Facing a shortage of these drugs since 2009, when the only federally approved factory that makes sodium thiopental shut down, states have resorted to secretly obtaining the necessary equipment from compounding pharmacies, or even elsewhere from abroad, but have usually had their supplies seized. Some states have even thought about bringing back execution methods like the firing squad.
States like Arizona have tried to perform lethal injections using substitute drugs like midazolam to disastrous results, resulting in controversy and legal challenges due to prolonged executions. Last year, the Supreme Court allowed the use of this drug despite the botched executions.
(via New York Times)