USA - Nebraska. Mumbai-made thiopental sodium to be used in Nebraska execution

Mumbai-made thiopental sodium to be used in Nebraska execution. The Nebraska Supreme Court today cleared the decks for execution of Carey Dean Moore. For probably the 1st time, the anaesthetic drug— that was exported from a Borivli-based pharmaceutical company will be used to execute the Nebraska-based death row inmate Carey Dean Moore. Moore’s lawyer had filed an appeal before the court challenging the legality of Nebraska’s purchase, from Kayem Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, of thiopental sodium. “While I do not appreciate that the drug is being used for execution, I am happy that the court has recognised that we are not a rogue pharmacy, nor are we indulging in the sale of any substandard drug,” said Kayem’s chief executive officer Navneet Verma. Verma said, “No Indian pharmaceutical company, in its right mind, would export chemicals for a lethal drug." Kayem had exported 500 vials of thiopental sodium each to Nebraska and South Dakota in December 2010 and February this year respectively. Kayem was told in January 2011 by Reprieve, a legal charity organisation in the UK that the drug was being used in a lethal injection in Nebraska. After sending the 2 consignments, Kayem put out a statement on their website that henceforth it will not sell any drugs that will be used in lethal injections. Verma had alleged that a pharmaceutical broker had misled him about this sale. (see also April 7).