The Missouri Department of Corrections has announced that it is switch­ing from a three-drug lethal injec­tion pro­to­col to a sin­gle-drug method, using Propofol. Missouri would be the first state to use Propofol (Diprivan) as an exe­cu­tion drug.The drug is man­u­fac­tured by AstraZeneca. At least one med­ical expert has ques­tioned whether the new exe­cu­tion drug is appro­pri­ate. Missouri’s writ­ten pro­to­col does not require a physi­cian to be a part of the exe­cu­tion team. Dr. Jonathan Groner, an Ohio State University sur­geon who has stud­ied lethal injec­tion exten­sive­ly, said that improp­er admin­is­tra­tion of the drug could cause pain at the injec­tion site. Dr. Groner said high dos­es of Propofol will cause res­pi­ra­to­ry arrest, but the dosage must be accu­rate and the process must move swift­ly because the drug wears off in just a few min­utes. According to Dr. Groner, ​“If they start breath­ing before the heart stops, they might not die.” It is not clear when Propofol would first be used in an exe­cu­tion. Missouri has sched­uled an exe­cu­tion for August 3, but some appeals remain. The state has car­ried out only two exe­cu­tions in the last seven years.

(“Missouri to use same drug involved in Michael Jackson’s death for exe­cu­tions,” Associated Press, May 24, 2012). See Lethal Injection. Listen to DPIC’s pod­cast on Lethal Injection.

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