Lethal Injection as Capital Punishment: The Issues

Much of the debate surrounding lethal injection and its role as a form capital punishment in the United States stems from concerns of whether the drug combinations we choose-and how we administer them-engender a degree of unnecessary suffering. When weighing the ethics of lethal injection against the need for criminal justice, and even considering the legality of the participation of health care professionals in these procedures, how can we reconcile all of this with our overarching mission to promote health versus facilitating death? Dr. Frank Romanelli, assistant dean of education and associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, surveys an array of issues with host Dr. Charles Turck.