"Florida has 20,000 milligrams of rocuronium bromide, which experts estimate could treat 100 COVID-19 patients."
Death penalty states are stockpiling medicines for lethal injections that could save the lives of hundreds of coronavirus patients were they released for medical use, The Guardian
reports.
Prominent medical practitioners have appealed to capital punishment states to release their stocks of essential sedatives and paralytics that they save for executions.
The drugs are among the most sought after in hospital intensive care units where shortages of the key medicines are putting lives of COVID-19 patients at risk.
A letter, co-signed by seven leading anesthesiologists, pharmacists and medical academics, is being sent to corrections departments of all death penalty states.
It points out hospitals are facing desperate shortages of sedatives and paralytics used for intubations and mechanical ventilation of the most severely ill coronavirus patients who cannot breathe for themselves.
The letter warns the drug shortages could put even the lives of those departments’ own top officials in peril. “Your stockpile could save the lives of hundreds of people … Those who might be saved could include a colleague, a loved one, or even you,” it warns.
It is not known how many states are stockpiling lethal injection drugs, though 19 out of 28 death penalty states have execution protocols involving sedatives and paralytics.
These include midazolam, vecuronium bromide, rocuronium bromide and fentanyl, which are all listed by pharmacy organizations as being in short supply in hospitals.
Three states – Florida, Nevada and Tennessee – said they are stockpiling large quantities of sedatives and paralytics for executions.
Florida has 20,000 milligrams of rocuronium bromide, which experts estimate could treat 100 COVID-19 patients.
Many death penalty states keep supplies of medical drugs for lethal injections hidden under a veil of secrecy.
Experts believe these secret supplies could help save the lives of hundreds more Americans.
Source: thecrimereport.org, Staff, April 14, 2020
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