What you need to know about banned substances

Monday 14 March 2011

National Equine Therapeutic Use Exemptions – A Guide
Banned Substances/Controlled Medication Substances
Under the new national system there are two sorts of substances that are prohibited in competition:
Banned Substances
Controlled Medication Substances
With Banned Substances the rules are crystal clear – they should never be used to treat a horse. So if your horse is tested and a Banned Substance is found in your horse’s sample there is no excuse and you must accept all of the consequences.
In the case of Controlled Medication Substances, you should not be competing with any of these substances in your horse’s system even though they may have a legitimate clinical use outside of competition.
So what happens if your horse requires treatment out of competition with a Controlled Medication Substance?
You can treat your horse but you need to be extremely careful to ensure that the substance has left your horse’s system before it competes.
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has done a lot of research in this area and has produced a really helpful list of Detection Times (see www.feicleansport.org) based on the average horse. This may help your vet to estimate when your own particular horse should no longer have the medication in its system. However as we all know our horses are not “the average horse” and so there is always a risk that your particular horse will still have a trace of the substance in its system. Your vet should be able to give you specific advice relating to your own horse.
If you are concerned that there will be a trace of a Controlled Medication Substance in your horse’s system you should not compete.
So what is an NETUE?
An NETUE is a special exemption granted by a technical committee of veterinarians and pharmacologists in circumstances where a Controlled Medication Substance is found in a horse’s sample and on examination it is clear that the substance was legitimately administered for a legitimate therapeutic purpose.
It is possible to apply for an NETUE on the basis of legitimate therapeutic use but you should be aware of the following:
·         The NETUE process requires your Veterinary Surgeon to complete a Medication Form at the time of administration to confirm that he/she has been required to administer a Prohibited Substance to your horse for genuine clinical reasons;
·         It also requiresthe Medication Form to be handed to theTesting Veterinarian at the time the test is taken. No NETUE application is allowed in any other circumstances. Medication Forms will not be accepted after the test has been taken.
 
·          If the result of your horse’s test is positive for a Controlled Medication Substance, and you have submitted a Medication Form at the time the sample was taken naming that substance, you may apply to the BEF Technical Committee for an NETUE in respect of that named substance.
 
·         You must apply for the NETUE within 10 working days of the test and on the appropriate form
 
·         There is no guarantee that your application for an NETUE will be granted.
 
·         It is not possible to apply for an NETUE for a Banned Substance.
You should note that you cannot submit a Medication Form retroactively, ie. after the test has taken place. It must be submitted at the time of the test.
You can download a Medication Form and an NETUE Application Form from the Clean Sport pages of the BEF website, or by contacting your discipline head office.
What if I am an International Rider?
Riders who also compete under FEI Rules should pay particular attention to the NETUE process when competing nationally as it differs from the process for International ETUEs. Specifically, they should note that:
·         There is no guarantee at national level that a Veterinary Delegate will be present at competitions. - As a result, it is not possible to gain permission to compete in the form of an NETUE either at the competition or in advance of competing;
·         All applications for NETUEs are retrospective and there is no guarantee that an application will be granted.
 

 
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