What is Pentobarbital injection? The drug used in Christa Pike’s failed Tennessee execution has come under scrutiny

Pentobarbital has become closely linked to lethal injection in the United States. The drug was at the center of Christa Pike’s attempted execution in Tennessee, where officials administered two doses on September 30, 2026, but she remained alive and was later taken to an outside medical facility.

The failed procedure has put fresh attention on pentobarbital, how it is used in executions and why lethal injections have faced problems in the United States, as per a report by NIH NCBI and Indiana Capital Chronicle.

What is pentobarbital injection?

Pentobarbital is a sedative-hypnotic. It slows down activity, in the brain and nervous system. When taken in doses it can stop breathing. It can also lead to death.

The drug has been used in veterinary practice for anesthesia and euthanasia. It has also been used by several U.S. states as the sole drug in lethal injections.

Indiana, for example, moved from a three-drug lethal injection method to a single-drug approach using pentobarbital. The Death Penalty Information Center says 14 states have used pentobarbital in executions, while five others, including Tennessee, have planned to use it.

Pentobarbital was also used in 13 federal executions carried out during the final six months of Donald Trump's presidency.

The drug has faced scrutiny beyond its use in executions. The Biden administration placed a moratorium on federal executions in 2021, although individual states have their own execution procedures.

What happened to Christa Pike after the pentobarbital injections?

Pike was scheduled to be executed for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, a crime she committed when she was 18.

After a series of legal challenges, Tennessee proceeded with the execution attempt on September 30. Officials administered two doses of pentobarbital, but Pike survived. Media witnesses reported that she remained alive and could be heard snoring before they were removed from the area. Her lawyers said she was later taken to a hospital.

Tennessee's Department of Correction said officials followed the state's established execution protocol and stated that the lethal injection chemical "has consistently been effective." The department confirmed that Pike was transported to an off-site medical facility.

The incident has also raised questions about the state's use of pentobarbital. Pike's lawyers alleged that the drug was "degraded." Tennessee officials have not specifically addressed that allegation.

Governor Bill Lee has ordered a "comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred" and halted the remaining scheduled executions for 2026.

Why have lethal injections faced problems?

The supply of drugs used for executions has become increasingly difficult for states because pharmaceutical companies have opposed their products being used for that purpose.

Tennessee has also faced another execution problem in 2026. The attempted execution of Tony Carruthers was postponed in May after staff could not establish the intravenous access needed to administer the lethal injection.

The Death Penalty Information Center says lethal injection has the highest rate of botched executions among execution methods. It has documented numerous failed or problematic attempts across the United States.

One widely known case occurred in Oklahoma in 2014, when the execution of Clayton Lockett went wrong after a vein ruptured during the three-drug procedure. The execution was stopped after 20 minutes.

Pike's case has now added another chapter to the debate surrounding lethal injection and pentobarbital. Tennessee's decision to suspend its remaining 2026 executions means the state will review what happened before another execution is carried out.

Pentobarbital has come under scrutiny after execution failed

Pentobarbital has been used by multiple states and by the U.S. government. The federal government used it in 13 executions between 2020 and 2021. But a 2025 federal review raised concerns about whether pentobarbital could cause unnecessary suffering. Experts cited in the review said the drug can cause pulmonary edema, a buildup of fluid in the lungs that may create a sensation of suffocation, as per a report by The AP.

The review concluded that “there remains significant uncertainty about whether the use of pentobarbital as a single drug lethal injection causes unnecessary pain and suffering” and advised that the government should “err on the side of humane treatment.” Other specialists cited in a report released by the second Trump administration argued that a lethal dose causes unconsciousness before that can occur.

The debate over the drug now has renewed attention following Tennessee’s failed attempt to execute Pike. State officials are investigating what happened and have not yet provided an explanation for why the procedure did not go as planned

FAQs

What is pentobarbital?
Pentobarbital is a barbiturate sedative that can suppress brain activity, breathing and the nervous system in high doses.

Was pentobarbital used in Christa Pike's execution?
Yes. Tennessee administered two doses during the September 30 execution attempt, but Pike survived.