Nevada Supreme Court’s Confidentiality Ruling Bolsters Drug Company’s Argument

The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled to keep confidential the name of a doctor scheduled to attend an upcoming lethal injection execution. The lawsuit, brought by three pharmaceutical companies whose drugs are to be used in the execution, actually welcomed the ruling though it went against them.

From ABC News:

“Attorney Todd Bice, representing drug firm Alvogen, told Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez the high court decision to protect the doctor’s identity, coupled with a recent sworn statement from Nevada prisons chief James Dzurenda, bolsters companies’ arguments that their business would be hurt if their drugs are used.

“We aren’t going to get into the identity of the doctor. We do intend to argue strongly that having your name associated with capital punishment is harmful to reputations,” Bice said. “The director testified that it would be ruinous of the doctor’s reputation.”

Gonzalez had ruled last week that drug companies could learn the name, but it would not be disclosed to the public.”

Had the name been made public the drug companies planned to sue the doctor for making use of their products in executions, to which they do not want to be associated, as they attempt to have their products banned entirely from being used in that fashion.

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