Columbus, OH — The Harness Racing Medication Collaborative met via Zoom on Wednesday (July 31) to consider a series of recommendations on no-effect thresholds.
Joining committee Chairman Joe Faraldo and Vice-Chairman Mark Loewe were veterinarian members, Dr. Richard Balmer (backstretch vet at The Meadowlands and The Meadows), Dr. Clara Fenger (Standardbred/Thoroughbred vet with expertise in equine exercise physiology), Dr. Kenneth McKeever (professor at Rutgers Department of Animal Sciences), U.S. Trotting Association Director Dr. Andy Roberts (Standardbred/Thoroughbred vet, founding and current board member of North American Association of Racetrack Veterinarians), Dr. Jim Robertson (surgeon at Cleveland Equine Clinic), and Dr. Thomas Tobin (Gluck Equine Research Center). USTA Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Tanner also participated.
Chairman Faraldo stated that the purpose of the meeting was for the committee to make a series of recommendations concerning the medications addressed in a slide deck presented by Dr. Tobin entitled “Identifying and Publishing No Effect Thresholds/Irrelevant Plasma Concentrations.”
“We want your recommendations to be very transparent and that all references must be documented and subject to analytical review,” explained Faraldo. “All of the recommendations should be guided by the principle of what science indicates about each drug.”
“Hopefully, there is beginning to be some acceptance of the fact that racing breeds have different performance models that require very different, but industry specific needs,” said Dr. Fenger.
“For harness racing, the HRMC will continue to advocate and advance scientifically based recommendations for sensible ‘no effect thresholds’ and ‘irrelevant plasma concentrations’ to ensure that horse welfare and integrity in racing are being served. So, I’m optimistic that separate rules for harness racing will become a reality for our industry and there will be separate rules for the breeds as envisioned in USTA’s proposal before Congress in the form of the Racehorse Health and Safety Act,” said Faraldo.
“What are of particular interest are the environmental contamination positives that lately have been prevalent in all breeds of horse racing and the need to develop proper screening limits for relevant substances,” added Faraldo.
The committee examined data and addressed a number of medication proposals based upon published peer reviewed articles. Their proposed recommendations will be submitted to the Association of Racing Commissioners International for adoption in harness racing.
“Of particular interest to the HRMC members were two medications that are extensively used in human medicine, Metformin and Gabapentin, which have been appearing as likely contaminants passed in unchanged form from humans,” noted Dr. Tobin.
Dr. Roberts moved recommendations on Metformin, at 5 ng/ml in plasma, and Gabapentin, at 8 ng/ml also in plasma; both were accepted.
Among the other substances discussed were Aminorex, Pemoline, Methamphetamine, and Synephrine.
The committee decided to reconvene in the fall to await the acceptance for publication of papers submitted on all of the substances considered.
Following is a summary of the discussions and recommendations made for Metformin and Gabapentin.
Metformin
Metformin is the third-most prescribed drug in the United States for humans, with dozens, if not more, of environmental contamination positives having been called/detected in the past year. Published research indicates that a screening limit of 5 ng/ml in plasma would be appropriate. Dr. Roberts made a motion that the committee accept and adopt that level. Dr. Tobin seconded the motion, which was then approved without opposition.
Gabapentin
Dr. Tobin referenced a screening limit of 8 ng/ml in plasma that has been implemented in Ohio and recommended that the HRMC should recommend it. Dr. Roberts motioned to that effect, with a second by Dr. McKeever. The motion passed via a unanimous vote.