Columbus, OH – The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, which is the world’s largest Thoroughbred horsemen’s organization representing approximately 30,000 owners and trainers throughout the United States and Canada, released a letter this week with more than 600 signatures from Thoroughbred industry participants in support of the use of Lasix as a choice for horsemen and veterinarians to administer on race day for the well-being of equine and human athletes.

The U.S. Trotting Association, whose policy on the use of race-day Lasix states that “the use of the therapeutic substance furosemide (Salix, Lasix) under controlled conditions be continued as the most effective and humane treatment of the racehorse,” supports the position of the HBPA and the more than 600 that signed the letter.

The USTA has worked with the National HBPA in lobbying efforts with federal legislators in Washington, D.C. in opposition to the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2019, which would prohibit race-day Lasix. See the USTA’s policy on Lasix below.

To read the USTA’s position in opposition to the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2109, click here.

Signatures for the letter will continue to be collected going forward.

To read the letter from the National HBPA, see the entire list of signatures or to add a signature to the letter, click here.

Following is the USTA’s position on the use of race-day Lasix:

“After a year of considering all the issues concerning the race day administration of furosemide, commonly known as Salix or Lasix, the U.S. Trotting Association believes the determining factor should be the welfare of the horse. During the USTA Annual Meetings on March 18, 2012, as a result of the testimony of Dr. Alice Stack, Dr. Jay Baldwin and Alan Leavitt, it became very clear to us that furosemide has very therapeutic benefits not only in helping bleeders but also in preventing bleeding before it starts. In our opinion the other criticisms can be addressed. One is that the administration of furosemide be done in a controlled area supervised by the states.”

Phil Langley, former USTA President

Given the stress experienced by equine athletes during competition, exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is estimated to occur in excess of 90 percent of all racehorses.

The use of furosemide (Lasix, Salix) has for quite some time been an accepted therapeutic resource for the horse industry in combating the effects of EIPH. In North America the use of this medication has been widely accepted in horse racing as a means of ensuring that racehorses do not suffer the ill effects associated with respiratory hemorrhage. EIPH results in blood vessels breaking, and eventually such hemorrhaging has an extremely damaging effect on lung capacity as a result of the formation of scar tissue.

The administration of furosemide in North American jurisdictions has been authorized on race day under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian and the strictest of regulatory mandates to ensure the health and well being of the animal, as well as the integrity of the competition itself.

While the therapeutic benefits of the administration of furosemide are universally recognized, many foreign jurisdictions forbid its use on race day. Some of these jurisdictions allow its use as part of a training regimen, up until the day of the race, in obvious recognition of its veterinary-proven therapeutic effect in controlling EIPH.

While in other jurisdictions alternative ways are being utilized to address this problem in racehorses, after much study and examination, and after hearing from renowned veterinarians from all over the world, the U.S. Trotting Association believes that the most humane way to address this problem is through the continued approval of the race-day administration of furosemide under controlled conditions and by a licensed veterinarian.

Accordingly, the board of directors of the nation’s official breed registry resolves as follows: That the use of the therapeutic substance furosemide (Salix, Lasix) under controlled conditions be continued as the most effective and humane treatment of the racehorse.