Janssen opposes use of drug in lethal injection

The US state of Florida’s plans to use a drug invented by Janssen, the pharma arm of healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), to carry out the death penalty, have angered the company.

Janssen discovered etomidate in the 1960s and although it has long since gone off patent, the company does not approve of it being used in a lethal cocktail to kill a prisoner on death row, saying that it discovers and develops its drugs to ‘save and enhance lives.’

"At Janssen, we are dedicated to preventing, intercepting, treating and curing some of the most devastating and complex diseases of our time," a statement from the company says. "For nearly 60 years, Janssen scientists have devoted their lives to discovering and developing life-enhancing and life-saving medicines, and we continue that work today.

"Etomidate is a widely used intravenous anesthetic agent used in hospitals. It was discovered by Janssen scientists in the 1960s, and it is now off patent and distributed as a generic product by a number of companies worldwide. We do not distribute etomidate in North America, and in 2016 we divested the product in the rest of the world for strategic business reasons."

"Janssen discovers and develops medical innovations to save and enhance lives. We do not promote the use of our medicines for indications that have not been approved by regulatory authorities, such as the US Food and Drug Administration. We do not condone the use of our medicines in lethal injections for capital punishment."