There are 20 medicines that are or have been sought by US states for use in lethal injection executions. These medicines are made by healthcare companies who develop and make medicines to save and improve the lives and health of patients. The companies do not approve of the misuse of medicines in lethal injections (see Industry Position) and have put distribution controls in place to protect their medicines and ensure they are sold exclusively for legitimate medical use.
Every FDA-approved manufacturer of listed execution drugs has strict controls in place to prevent Departments of Corrections from diverting their products for misuse in lethal injection executions.
Below is a summary of the medicines which are or have been listed in US state lethal injection protocols, or have been mooted by US states for use in executions, as well as their manufacturers, and the controls that are in place to protect these medicines from misuse.
At-Risk Drugs
Manufacturers
For legitimate medical use only
(control systems
implemented)
Alfentanil
Akorn Inc.
✔
Cisatracurium Besylate
AbbVie Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. for AuroMedics Pharma LLC
✔
Fresenius Kabi AG
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Sandoz Inc.
✔
Somerset Therapeutics LLC
✔
Manufactured by Jiangsu Hengrui, distributed by eVenus and marketed by Teva
✔
Zydus USA
✔
Diazepam
Manufactured by Beloteca Inc. for DASH Pharmaceuticals
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Inc.
✔
Etomidate
AuroMedics Pharma Inc.
✔
Gland Pharma Ltd.
✔
Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Viatris Inc.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Zydus USA
✔
Fentanyl
Akorn Inc.
✔
Fresenius Kabi AG
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Hydromorphone
Akorn Inc.
✔
Fresenius Kabi AG
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Barr Pharma for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
✔
Ketamine Hydrochloride
Manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. for AuroMedics Pharma LLC
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Par Pharmaceutical Inc.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Methohexital Sodium
Par Pharmaceutical Inc.
✔
Midazolam
Akorn Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Alvogen Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Athenex Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Fresenius Kabi AG for BD Medical & APP Pharma Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Pancuronium Bromide
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Pentobarbital Sodium
Manufactured by Akorn Inc. for Oak Pharmaceuticals Inc.
✔
Custopharm Inc. / Leucadia Pharmaceuticals
✔
Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
✔
Phenobarbital
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Potassium Acetate
Exela Pharma Sciences LLC.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Potassium Chloride
Baxter Healthcare Ltd.
✔
B Braun Medical Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Fresenius Kabi AG for APP Pharmaceuticals Inc.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Propofol
Manufactured by Corden Pharma GmbH for Fresenius Kabi AG.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Corden Pharma GmbH for Teva Pharma Industries Inc.
✔
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.
✔
Rocuronium Bromide
Alvogen Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. for AuroMedics Pharma LLC
✔
Baxter Healthcare Ltd.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Athenex Inc.
✔
Fresenius AG
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Viatris Inc.
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Piramal Pharma Solutions
✔
Sandoz Inc.
✔
Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
✔
Manufactured by Tamarang for X-Gen Pharmaceuticals Inc.
✔
Vecuronium Bromide
Manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. for AuroMedics Pharma LLC
✔
Manufactured by Gland Pharma Ltd. for Fresenius Kabi AG
✔
Pfizer Inc.
✔
Hikma Pharmaceuticals LLC.
✔
Viatris Inc.
✔
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
✔
Sodium Thiopental
Drug not federally approved and unavailable for purchase in the US.
UNAPPROVED DRUG