Novartis Attempting to Stop Sodium Pentathol From Being Shipped to the US-Drug Used for Surgical Anesthesia-Does Not Want Drug Used for Lethal Injections

This is a big deal as we don’t manufacture the drug in the US, and on top of that we don’t have Propofol manufactured in the US either. The 2 drugs are the #1 and #2 choices and used in hospitals all over the country. Everyone may remember Propofol from the Michael Jackson case, but it is no longer made in the US either and our entire supply comes from Germany. We are completely dependent on over seas shipments for the 2 most common anesthesia drugs used for surgery.

Anesthesia Drug Shortages, First It Was Propofol and now Pentothal–Choice #3 Is a Real Old Drug And Less Stable

In addition there have been propofol shortages all over the US to the point to where a hotline had to be established in the US for hospitals to coordinate and check on their orders.

APP Pharmaceuticals Launching Drug Hotline in US–Check Status Of Fresenius Propoven (Propofol)-The Only US FDA Approved Drug

As stated last week, in Europe there would be some political issues over the use of pentathol for lethal injections and it appears it has arrived. The drug companies want the assurance to know that the drug will not be used for lethal injections in the US. Recently the state of Arizona was able to go around and get a supply and that did not go over well, but they even were able to have it slide through customs and the FDA with approval given, so this shortage is being driven by the use of the drug for lethal injections and in the meantime shortages will probably occur at the hospital level and the drug of choice #3 is a very old drug and is much harder to use and keep patients stable, and some anesthesiologists say the patients complain as it hurts going in. BD

(Reuters) - Novartis and its Sandoz unit, maker of a generic version of an anesthetic used in lethal injections in the United States, have taken steps to try to stop the drug ending up in the United States.

"Sandoz has also advised all of its subsidiaries with locally approved marketing authorizations for sodium thiopental to not sell the product to distributors or third parties that may be selling it into the U.S.," Novartis and Sandoz said in a statement.

Hospira said it was planning to shift production to its plant in Liscate, Italy, but the Italian parliament will only allow the drug to be made there if Hospira can guarantee that it will not be used in capital punishment.

Last November, activists sued the British government to stop the export of the drug used in capital punishment in the United States, but Business Secretary Vince Cable said he would not issue a ban because the drug can be used for legitimate purposes.

Sodium thiopental, a sedative legally required for U.S. lethal injections, is in short supply in the United States, and at least one U.S. state has already turned to Britain to fill the gap.

Novartis moves to stop execution drug reaching U.S. | Reuters