IACP Adopts Position on Compounding of Lethal Injection Drugs

PRESS RELEASE

Missouri City, Texas — As drug manufacturers have stopped production of drugs for lethal injection, and as states increasingly look to compounding pharmacies for such drugs, the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists has adopted a position on the issue. Below is the statement from the Board.

“While the pharmacy profession recognizes an individual practitioner’s right to determine whether to dispense a medication based upon his or her personal, ethical and religious beliefs, IACP discourages its members from participating in the preparation, dispensing, or distribution of compounded medications for use in legally authorized executions.

“The issue of compounded preparations being used in the execution of prisoners sentenced to capital punishment continues to be a topic of significant interest. It is important to first understand the origin of this issue: states are turning to compounded preparations for this purpose because the companies that manufacture the products traditionally used have unilaterally decided to stop selling them for use in executions. IACP believes that a national discussion needs to be conducted on whether a pharmaceutical manufacturer can restrict the use of FDAapproved products only to purposes that adhere to their corporate values.”

IACP is distributing the Board’s position to its membership through its varied communications vehicles.

About the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists

The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) is an association representing nearly 4,000 pharmacists, technicians, students, and members of the compounding community who focus upon the specialty practice of pharmacy compounding. Compounding pharmacists work directly with prescribers including physicians, nurse practitioners and veterinarians to create customized medication solutions for patients and animals whose health care needs cannot be met by manufactured medications.