Pfizer cracks down on use of its drugs in executions

WASHINGTON: Drugs giant Pfizer has introduced restrictions on its products to stop them being used for executions.
The new rules mean there are no more approved sources for the drugs used in lethal injections, the most common method of execution in the United States, the New York Times reported Friday.
"We strongly object to the use of any of our products in the lethal injection process for capital punishment," the company said in a statement.
"We are enforcing a distribution restriction for specific products that have been part of, or considered by some states for their lethal injection protocols," the New York-headquartered firm said.
Official sources for the necessary drugs has reduced in recent years, leading some US states to turn to other drugs or other methods of execution, such as the electric chair or firing squad. — dpa