The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a technical document listing and categorizing 1,365 Prohibited Substances covered by HISA's anti-doping and medication control (ADMC) rules and further dividing them into subcategories of Banned Substances and Controlled Medications. The document is now subject to final approval by the FTC ahead of the ADMC Program's Jan. 1, 2023 implementation date.
This technical document was developed by HISA's ADMC Standing Committee and approved by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), which will administer the program. In a memorandum to racing participants (included below), HISA ADMC Committee Chair Adolpho Birch summarized the contents of the document submitted, which underwent several modifications based on substantive feedback from racing participants and experts during a public comment period before submission to the FTC.
“The Prohibited Substances List is the result of extensive consultation with industry and subject matter experts and is informed by established research. Once approved by the FTC, it will serve as the backbone of HISA's ADMC Program set to take effect in the New Year,” said Birch. “Through our collective efforts led by the ADMC Committee, we are proud to introduce U.S. Thoroughbred racing's first-ever uniform Prohibited Substances list that will be applied on a national basis to advance integrity, transparency and accountability in the sport.”
“Effective anti-doping programs require clear guidance on prohibited substances, and we are pleased with the document that was submitted to the FTC,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “This list will play a key role in HIWU's assignment to enforce HISA's ADMC Program, and we are prepared to take on this critical responsibility on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry.”
In addition to listing and categorizing all prohibited substances covered by the ADMC Program, the document details detection times, screening limits and thresholds. The modified document submitted to the FTC is available on the HISA website.
Memorandum to Racing Participants, from Adolpho Birch, Chair of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority AntiDoping and Medication Control Committee:
On October 13, 2022, following a public consultation period where substantive feedback was provided to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), the HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Committee submitted the “Technical Document – Prohibited Substances” (“Technical Document”) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for approval. The Technical Document lists all Prohibited Substances covered by the ADMC rules and categorizes them into Banned Substances and Controlled Medications, as well as Specified Substances, which are those that pose a higher risk of being caused by contamination and are therefore subject to more flexible sanctions.
Additionally, the Technical Document sets forth detection times, screening limits, and thresholds for Prohibited Substances. If approved by the FTC, the Technical Document will be a fundamental component of the ADMC Program launching on January 1, 2023 that will be administered by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (“HIWU”). HIWU will soon begin its educational initiative to explain this Technical Document and how the Program will operate to racing participants. Should you have any questions before then, please direct them to info@hiwu.org.
Set forth below is a summary of the key modifications to the Technical Document from the original version posted for public comment, which were implemented following review and consideration of the feedback submitted to HISA by the ADMC Committee.
1. Anti-Ulcer medications (Cimetidine, Omeprazole, Ranitidine)
The Technical Document reduces the originally proposed 48-hour Restricted Administration Period for anti-ulcer medications to 24-hours. The rationale is that published research demonstrates that withdrawal intervals of greater than 24 hours can pose a health risk to the horse. It is anticipated that the international community will adopt a withdrawal interval strategy similar to the one proposed by HISA in the coming year.
2. NSAIDs (Flunixin, Ketoprofen, Phenylbutazone)
The Technical Document establishes Screening Limits corresponding to a 48-hour Detection Time for three (3) commercially available NSAIDs having FDA-approval for use in the horse. The ADMC Program allows the veterinarian to select one NSAID that can be administered using a withdrawal interval based on the 48-hour Detection Time. All other NSAIDs are then controlled applying the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' (IFHA) Detection Times and Screening Limits, and the detection of more than one NSAID in a horse's sample shall be a violation.
The rationale for this change is twofold: (1) it is consistent in our view with the IFHA's philosophical approach to NSAIDs; and (2) the overwhelming evidence received from horsemen and other stakeholder groups that enforcing a more restrictive rule would be contrary to the welfare of the horse without achieving any meaningful benefit to integrity.
3. Methocarbamol / Glycopyrrolate
The newly proposed Screening Limits and Detection Times for methocarbamol and glycopyrrolate were determined after reviewing the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium's administration study involving pharmacokinetic data. The elected Screening Limits and corresponding Detection Times ensure withdrawal intervals of sufficient length to prevent the substances from having potential to impact a horse's racing performance. These were developed so that better guidance can be provided instead of relying on the laboratory's limit of detection.
4. Procaine penicillin
HISA has elected to adopt the current Association of Racing Commissioners International controls, which allow for the use of this safe and effective antibiotic up to 48 hours prior to a race, while still effectively controlling against the illicit use of procaine as a local anesthetic.
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