Editing Lethal injection (section)

==Euthanasia protocol==
Lethal injection has also been used in cases of [[euthanasia]] to facilitate voluntary death in patients with terminal or chronically painful conditions.<ref name=euthanasics>{{cite web |url=http://www.wweek.com/___ALL_OLD_HTML/euthanasics.html |title=Administration and Compounding of Euthanisic Agents |publisher=Royal Dutch Society for the Advancement of Pharmacy |location=The Hague |year=1994 |access-date=July 31, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607061147/http://wweek.com/___ALL_OLD_HTML/euthanasics.html |archive-date=June 7, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Euthanasia can be accomplished either through oral, intravenous, or intramuscular administration of drugs. In individuals who are incapable of swallowing lethal doses of medication, an intravenous route is preferred. The following is a Dutch protocol for parenteral (intravenous) administration to obtain euthanasia, with the old protocol listed first and the new protocol listed second:

:First a coma is induced by intravenous administration of 1 g sodium thiopental (Nesdonal), if necessary, 1.5–2.0 g of the product in case of strong tolerance to barbiturates. Then, 45 mg [[alcuronium chloride]] (Alloferin) or 18 mg [[pancuronium bromide]] (Pavulon) is injected. To ensure optimal availability, these agents are preferably given intravenously. However, they can also be injected intramuscularly. In severe hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver, alcuronium is the agent of first choice.<ref name=euthanasics/>

:Intravenous administration is the most reliable and rapid way to accomplish euthanasia, so can be safely recommended. A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). Then, a triple intravenous dose of a nondepolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide or 20 mg [[vecuronium bromide]] (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium dibromide, the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dose of 40 mg.<ref name=euthanasics/>

A [[euthanasia machine]] may allow an individual to perform the process alone.