--- title: Executions: Pfizer Blocks Drugs for Lethal Injection description: Pfizer announced Friday that it has taken measures to keep its drugs from being used in lethal injection executions. canonical: https://time.com/4330018/pfizer-drugs-executions/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-05-13T21:08:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T17:32:51.187Z article:section: Business og:title: Pfizer Blocks Drugs From Being Used in Executions og:description: Pfizer announced Friday that it has taken measures to keep its drugs from being used in lethal injection executions. og:url: https://time.com/4330018/pfizer-drugs-executions/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc6f4df70da374f/6988932fbc6cfc65283dcfb6/pfizer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Pfizer and Allergan merger. File photo dated 17/08/11 of signage outside the Pfizer pharmaceuticals company in Sandwich, Kent, as the US drugmaker looks set to pull out of the biggest pharmaceutical deal in history after the US unveiled new measures to s og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Pfizer Blocks Drugs From Being Used in Executions twitter:description: Pfizer announced Friday that it has taken measures to keep its drugs from being used in lethal injection executions. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc6f4df70da374f/6988932fbc6cfc65283dcfb6/pfizer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Pfizer Blocks Drugs From Being Used in Executions  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent May 13, 2016 9:08 PM CUT  Pfizer pharmaceuticals in Sandwich, U.K., on Aug. 17, 2008. Pfizer pharmaceuticals in Sandwich, U.K., on Aug. 17, 2008.Dan Kitwood—PA Wire/AP  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent May 13, 2016 9:08 PM CUT Pfizer announced Friday that it has taken measures to [keep its drugs](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/pfizer-execution-drugs-lethal-injection.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0 "undefined") from being used in [lethal injection executions](http://time.com/82375/every-execution-in-u-s-history-in-a-single-chart/?iid=sr-link2 "undefined"). The move by the pharmaceutical giant, reported by [the New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/pfizer-execution-drugs-lethal-injection.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0 "undefined"), follows similar maneuvers by other drug manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe. “Pfizer makes its products to enhance and save the lives of the patients we serve,” the company said in a statement, and “strongly objects to the use of its products as lethal injections for capital punishment.” The availability of drugs for lethal injection executions has dwindled in recent years, creating complications for the U.S. states that allow the practice. Some states have considered methods like [firing squads](http://time.com/3742818/utah-firing-squad-execution-lethal-injection/?iid=sr-link3 "undefined") as an alternative. \[[_NYT_](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/pfizer-execution-drugs-lethal-injection.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4330018/pfizer-drugs-executions/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4330018/pfizer-drugs-executions/"},"headline":"Pfizer Blocks Drugs From Being Used in Executions","datePublished":"2016-05-13T21:08:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T17:32:51.187Z","description":"The availability of drugs for lethal injection executions has dwindled in recent years","url":"https://time.com/4330018/pfizer-drugs-executions/","keywords":["Companies","Crime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc6f4df70da374f/6988932fbc6cfc65283dcfb6/pfizer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Justin Worland","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/justin-worland/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc6f4df70da374f/6988932fbc6cfc65283dcfb6/pfizer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Pfizer and Allergan merger. 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