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- A euthanasia solution is a drug-containing aqueous solution for intentionally ending life to either relieve pain and suffering or execute convicts. The drugs used in euthanasia solution do not only need to be safe to personnel, but they also need to have a rapid onset of action and minimize the possible pain felt by humans and animals. To satisfy these requirements, the active ingredients in the euthanasia solution are usually anaesthetics, respiratory depressants, cardiotoxic drugs and cytotoxic drugs. For animals, euthanasia solutions have different routes of administration, including injection, oral absorption and immersion. This depends on the type of animals, based on their anatomical and physiological features. These solutions are predominantly administered to terrestrial animals through injection and to aquatic animals through immersion. While some euthanasia solutions are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are commercially available, some are not FDA-approved and they need to be compounded by the veterinarians because of the potential hazards to humans and animals. For humans, the drugs used may differ from those for animals use. They can be used to execute convicts on death row or to euthanize humans under legal circumstances. In countries where lethal injection execution is legal, these drugs are essential to carrying out a painless execution. Unfortunately, the solutions are sometimes abused. (en)
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