The Paradox of Healing and Harm: Physician Participation in Lethal Injection Executions in the United States

Abstract

This paper examines the legal and ethical complexities surrounding physician participation in judicial executions in the United States. Despite the medicalization of execution methods, physicians face potential professional misconduct charges for participating in a process often mandated by death penalty statutes. This conflict arises from ambiguities within state legislation, creating a dilemma for medical professionals obligated to uphold both medical ethics and legal requirements.

This paper argues that resolving this conflict necessitates legislative reform that balances the needs of the condemned, the public, and the medical profession. By examining the historical involvement of physicians in shaping execution methods, the paper contextualizes the contemporary debate surrounding their role. Ethical, policy, and legal arguments for and against physician participation are analyzed, revealing the need for a nuanced approach. Current legislative attempts to address this issue are critiqued, and the paper proposes a more comprehensive legislative solution to bridge the gap between death penalty statutes and medical practice acts.