HANDS OFF CAIN: EXCELLENT DECISION BY HOSPIRA TO CEASE PRODUCTION OF SODIUM THIOPENTAL FOR LETHAL INJECTIONS

January 21, 2011: Hands Off Cain, the Radical Association which campaigned to prevent sodium thiopental (a drug used in lethal injections) which had been manufactured in Italy from reaching American prisons, applauds the decision of pharmaceutical company, Hospira, to stop manufacturing the drug.
 “This is an excellent outcome, which far exceeds our expectations,” declared Sergio D’Elia, the Secretary of Hands Off Cain. “Especially since for us it would have been sufficient if the company had committed to specifying in their sales contracts that the product is only to be used for medical purposes and to ensure that ‘made in Italy’ sodium thiopental does not find its way into prisons”, he continued.
The Lower House of Italian Parliament had recently approved a motion, submitted by Radical MP, Elisabetta Zamparutti,  which proposed exactly that, and the Italian Government had also supported the campaign of Hands Off Cain, the Comunità di Sant’Egidio and the British human rights organisation, Reprieve.
“We take our hats off to Hospira”, D’Elia continued, “for having chosen the most radical and secure solution, in line with the Italian commitment to put a global end to the absurd and archaic practice of the death penalty.” “This decision”, the Secretary of Hands Off Cain concluded, “will perhaps mean a none too brief de facto moratorium on executions in many States of America, where for months the executioner has been unemployed because of the shortage of the drug required for the lethal injection.”   (Sources: NtC, 21/01/2011)