Transcript Drug testing: what’s coming in the next mellinium

Medication: Past, Present, and
Future in Racing and Performance
Horses
Scot Waterman, DVM
Executive Director
Racing Medication & Testing
Consortium
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Began in 2001 at a facilitated meeting hosted
by the AAEP to assess whether uniform
medication rules were achievable
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RMTC Goals: uniform rules, standardized
testing, available money for research,
improved security, information resource for
racing commissions
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Incorporated as a 501 c (3)
Board of Directors
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AAEP
AQHA
Arabian Jockey Club
California TB Trainers
Churchill Downs
Del Mar
Hambletonian Society
Harness Tracks of America
The Jockey Club
Jockeys’ Guild
Keeneland
KTA
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Magna Entertainment
National HBPA
NTRA
NYRA
Oak Tree
RCI
THA
TOBA
TB Owners of California
TRA
TRPB
USTA
Racing Medication & Testing
Consortium
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Diverse, large Board can be difficult but it
ensures that no single agenda can drive the
development of a rule, supermajority required
for language to pass
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Standard approach is to divide work up into
sub-committees and bring the consensus back
to the full Board
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Language is either adopted by the Board,
edited and then approved or sent back to the
sub-committee
Veterinarian involvement in
the RMTC
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Board members
– Rick Arthur
(Oak Tree)
– Nancy Goodman
(AQHA)
– Ted Hill
(The Jockey Club)
– Bobby Lewis
(AAEP)
– Gregg Scoggins
(MEC)
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Ex officio
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Glenn Blodgett (AQHA)
Ron Jensen (Advisor)
Milton McLure (AAEP)
Wayne McIlwraith
(AAEP)
Committees
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Tom Brokken
Gary Norwood
Dan Wilson
Tom Tobin
Mike Weber
Model Rules Phase 1 (2005)
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Prohibited Practices
Drug Classifications/Categorization
Permitted Therapeutics:
– Voluntary use of furosemide with post-race
regulatory control
– One of three NSAIDs – Bute, Banamine or
Ketoprofen – at 24 hours
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Adopted now by 32/38 racing
jurisdictions
Uniform Penalties (2006)
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Three-tiered grid system simplified existing RCI
penalties
Significantly increases penalties for illegal and
prohibited performance-enhancing drugs
Reduces penalties for therapeutic medication
mistakes
Redefines trainer responsibility
– Mitigating and aggravating circumstances “checklist” for
stewards
– Added penalties for other culpable licensees:
veterinarians, owners and grooms
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Adopted as rule or policy in 25 states
Model Rules Phase 3 (2007)
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Regulation of anabolic steroids
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Thresholds for four FDA-permitted or
endogenous anabolics
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Stanozolol
Boldenone
Nandrolone
Testosterone
30-45 days withdrawal time
Out-of-competition testing
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Blood-doping agents – EPO & Darbypoietin
Illegal & prohibited drugs
Model Rules-Present & Future
Withdrawal Times Research
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Identify drugs with legitimate uses
Prioritize drugs into five groups
Collect previous science on each drug
If science is insufficient then perform
administrations on a minimum of 20 horses
Plasma is preferred but some drugs will have
both urine and plasma collected
Ultimate goal…uniform withdrawal time with
a corresponding concentration of drug which
regulates the withdrawal time
Withdrawal Times Research
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Priority Group 1
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Acepromazine
Butorphanol
Detomidine
Glycopyrrolate
Lidocaine
Mepivacaine
Methocarbamol
Pyrilamine
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Priority Group 2
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Boldenone
Dantrolene
Dexamethasone
Firocoxib
Fluphenazine
Hydroxyzine
Nandrolone
Stanozolol
Testosterone
Withdrawal Times Research
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Priority Group 3
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Albuterol
Betamethasone
Diclofenac
Methylprednisolone
Reserpine
Triamcinolone
Trichlormethiazide
Xylazine
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Priority Group 4
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Atropine
Beclomethasone
Buscopan
Cromolyn
Isoxsuprine
Pentoxyfylline
Phenytoin
Prednisolone
Model Rules-Present & Future
Withdrawal Time Database
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Withdrawal times posted for 18
jurisdictions and over 70 drugs
Database is searchable by drug and by
jurisdiction
Over 2,000 unique users in first month
of availability
www.rmtcnet.com, click on “Withdrawal
Times” tab at top of page
RMTC-Present & Future
Drug Testing Initiatives
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Develop strategies to improve drug testing in
US:
– Integrate WADA laboratory standards
– Overhaul of Laboratory Quality Assurance
Programs
– Development of a post-doctoral recruitment
program
– Development of a business plan for U.S. drug
testing infrastructure which includes research and
development laboratory
Big picture…the future
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Beginning to see organizations with
“sticks” use them to drive change:
– Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders
Association Graded Stakes Committee
– Breeder’s Cup
– NTRA Safety Alliance
– The Jockey Club Safety Committee
– Hambletonian Society