Why is America running out of execution drugs? | The Global Story podcast

This BBC News video from The Global Story podcast looks at why American prisons are struggling to obtain drugs for lethal injection. It refers to the recent attempted execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee, which did not go as planned, and explains how pharmaceutical companies, particularly in Europe, have restricted supplies for use in executions. The discussion between host Tristan Redman and investigative reporter Livvy Haydock covers the consequences of this shortage. The video also outlines how lethal injections are meant to work, the drugs involved, and the reasons some prisons have turned to improvised approaches. It touches on the wider debate over the death penalty in the United States and Europe.

• Tennessee's attempted execution of Christa Pike did not go as planned
• European drugmakers have restricted supplies of execution drugs to US prisons
• US prisons have had to improvise, with concerning results
• Discussion with investigative reporter Livvy Haydock about her podcast Killing Death Row

Last week, Tennessee attempted to carry out the execution of Christa Pike, a convicted murderer who had spent three decades on death row. But the execution did not go as planned: After she was injected with two lethal doses of pentobarbital, Pike remained alive. She was then taken to hospital by ambulance. This isn’t the first time an American execution hasn’t gone as planned. One reason is that the drugs needed for lethal injection have become increasingly difficult for US prison officials to obtain. Pharmaceutical companies don’t want their medicines used in executions — particularly manufacturers in Europe, where governments have opposed the death penalty for decades. So, without access to regulated drugs, American prisons have had to improvise — sometimes with horrifying results. The Global Story’s Tristan Redman speaks with investigative reporter Livvy Haydock about the consequences when the pharmaceutical supply chain refuses to feed the machinery of American executions. Listen to Livvy’s podcast, Killing Death Row: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001rjdp Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news 00:00 Introduction 00:38 How a lethal injection is supposed to work 05:05 What went wrong in Christa Pike’s execution 07:16 Why America is struggling to get execution drugs 09:00 The drugs used in lethal injections 10:15 Why European drugmakers stopped supplying the US 12:38 America’s secret hunt for execution drugs 14:47 What happens when execution drugs expire 15:07 The London chemist supplying America 16:58 How the drug shortage can cause botched executions 17:30 Are lethal injections causing suffering? 19:05 Why the US can’t simply make its own execution drugs 21:21 Could prisons start making their own drugs? 21:46 Why Europe rejects the death penalty 22:32 Why Americans still support executions 23:17 When executions fail victims’ families #ChristaPike #Deathrow #Tennessee #BBCNews