Steroids

Originally posted by gull80 Some drugs are banned under all circumstances, others are prohibited only during competition, still others are permitted with a statement of medical necessity ("therapeutic use exemption"). www.usantidoping.org/.../ I looked into this in some detail awhile back. Here is a short summary of the situation: 1) Some substances are totally banned. 2) Some substances are banned in certain quantities. 3) Exceptions are made to all of this when there is a medical need for a substance to be taken, but the athlete must disclose the fact that he/she is taking the said substance (not wait until this is discovered through testing), and the use of the substance in the said quantities must be approved by a review committee. 4) There are some situations that have already been generically reviewed, and for which the use of "banned" substances is allowed. (It is recognized, e.g., that diabetics are going to need to take insulin.) So all that needs to be done in such cases is to submit proof that the athlete has a condition for which use of the substance has been preapproved. 5) In other cases, a more detailed review is required, in which the committee will consider whether the substance is really required in the said amounts to treat the athlete's condition, whether there are alternative therapies that don't use banned substances, etc. 6) Substances whose use is illegal, even by prescription, will obviously never be approved.

Originally posted by gull80 Some drugs are banned under all circumstances, others are prohibited only during competition, still others are permitted with a statement of medical necessity ("therapeutic use exemption"). www.usantidoping.org/.../ I looked into this in some detail awhile back. Here is a short summary of the situation: 1) Some substances are totally banned. 2) Some substances are banned in certain quantities. 3) Exceptions are made to all of this when there is a medical need for a substance to be taken, but the athlete must disclose the fact that he/she is taking the said substance (not wait until this is discovered through testing), and the use of the substance in the said quantities must be approved by a review committee. 4) There are some situations that have already been generically reviewed, and for which the use of "banned" substances is allowed. (It is recognized, e.g., that diabetics are going to need to take insulin.) So all that needs to be done in such cases is to submit proof that the athlete has a condition for which use of the substance has been preapproved. 5) In other cases, a more detailed review is required, in which the committee will consider whether the substance is really required in the said amounts to treat the athlete's condition, whether there are alternative therapies that don't use banned substances, etc. 6) Substances whose use is illegal, even by prescription, will obviously never be approved.