I will not be sad to see the end of sodium thiopental

[Stinky The Clown]

Hospira makes it. It is a key ingredient in the injectable "cocktail" (so clever, our media, to call it that all these years . . . . Weeeeee! Let's have a cocktail!!) used to off people in the name of justice.

It seems Italy and Germany are involved, at least peripherally. The German government issued a statement to urge any German firm asked to export this shit to the US to turn it down as "not in keeping with European values."

Italy told the maker, who planned to move production to a plant in Milan, no way, pallie.

Oh my. What's a death panel to do?

Follow this link to a less sarcastic, bitter telling of the tale: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/21/AR2011012107039.html

[formercia]

1. I'm sure the Chinese will pick up the slack

they're experts at executing people. Now, there's a job that could be outsourced. :sarcasm:

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. Meanwhile

Oklahoma has already executed n inmate using the very same drugs that veterinarian use to euthanize animals.

[Duer 157099]

3. Is this also used in assisted-suicide?

I seem to recall that it, or something similar, is what is commonly used by the Kevorkian type crowd.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

4. waiting for republican outrage in 3... 2... 1...

Given the Republicans and their love for American extraterritoriality - it will be interesting to see if they rise to the occasion with unprecedented hypocrisy.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

5. If there's a fixed demand for the drug, I'm sure some other company could produce it, no?

Is there some sort of patent restrictions on sodium thiopental?
It's been around quite a while I think.

[physioex]

6. Shouldnt be too difficult....

It has been around many decades.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

7. It's not difficult...

It's a simple sodium salt (or NaOH) substitution with the thiopental molecule.

[hlthe2b]

8. That is just damned foolish.. This is a key anesthetic drug...

has been used for decades safely in human and veterinary medicine. It is readily titrated, which allows for a smooth, safe and rapid awakening when used as it was designed. It was not produced to be an execution drug. When we loose access to a safe barbiturate short-acting anesthetic like this, then less safe alternatives could be the alternative.

The World Health Organization (WHO), considers loss of this drug to be a serious matter worldwide. Thiopental is a core medicine in the World Health Organization's "Essential Drugs List", which is a list of minimum medical needs for a basic healthcare system.

I am as ANTI death penalty as it comes, but having worked in medicine around the world, this kind of kneejerk attitude is appalling.

[BrightKnight]

9. Why, execution will continue with or without it? - n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

10. I thought the courts ruled the three drug cocktail unconstitutional...

And now we're basically giving people lethal doses of morphine.