Call for 'Hippocratic Oath' on execution drugs

By staff writers
26 Mar 2012

Lethal injection is the principal method of execution in the United States and is used by 37 of the 38 death penalty states. (Nebraska uses electrocution.)

The common combination of drugs used by almost all these states is sodium pentothal (an anesthetic, also called Thiopental sodium), pancuronium bromide (a paralytic agent, also called Pavulon), and potassium chloride (which stops the heart and causes death).

There is growing concern over the use of pancuronium bromide which is thought to cause paralysis preventing the victim from communicating pain which may result from the subsequent dose of potassium chloride.

Painful, lengthy executions violate the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

The legal action charity Reprieve has today (26 March) launched a campaign calling on pharmaceutical companies to sign a ‘Pharmaceutical Hippocratic oath’ under which they would pledge not to become involved in executions by lethal injection.



Reprieve is also renewing its call for the pharmaceutical company Hospira to ensure that pancuronium bromide can only be supplied for legitimate medical use. Hospira remains the only supplier of this drug to US execution chambers.

