RMTC Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting

NEWS RELEASE

February 19, 2016
Contact: Hallie Roach Lewis (859) 224-2848

RACING MEDICATION AND TESTING CONSORTIUM SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

To assist veterinarians in the medical treatment of racehorses, the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) created a Controlled Therapeutic Substances (CTS) list. The CTS list sets forth therapeutic medications that veterinarians can use, together with defined regulatory thresholds and withdrawal times.

Some in the horseracing industry are questioning several regulatory thresholds set forth in the CTS list by alleging a lack of supporting documentation in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Those questioning the CTS list in this manner are misrepresenting the facts. What follows is an explanation of the scientific process behind the CTS thresholds, including background on the role of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s (RMTC) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) in developing the CTS list.

The SAC includes regulatory and private veterinarians, racing chemists and veterinary pharmacologists with over 300 combined years of experience in horseracing. The SAC members are recognized scientific experts in their respective fields.

In connection with the development of the CTS list, the SAC reviewed all contemporaneously available data and historical regulatory experience to make scientifically-based recommendations to the RCI for the thresholds found in that list. The SAC continually updates these recommendations with new information as it becomes available. When necessary, the SAC recommends and the RMTC funds additional research on these substances. With SAC guidance, the RMTC has invested more than $2.5 million in industry dollars for drug testing research since its inception.

Published research or pre-publication data available to the SAC support a majority of regulatory thresholds in the CTS list. In the few cases where the SAC based its recommendations on historical information, the SAC actively performs or facilitates studies to support or modify these recommendations. Moreover, the SAC works diligently to encourage the expeditious publication of all of its members’ scientific research supporting the CTS list.

Regardless of publication status, SAC recommendations are peer-reviewed by all 16 members of the committee. The typical peer-reviewed scientific process relies on only 1-4 reviewers. The RMTC process, with 16 reviewers, represents a much broader review than that of any scientific journal. The SAC provides a dynamic and responsive approach to address the ongoing challenges of a rapidlyevolving medication landscape in horseracing.

The SAC thanks all industry stakeholders for their ongoing support and commitment to this important mission.

The RMTC SAC:

A list of the SAC member affiliations and horse racing experience is available on the RMTC website at rmtcnet.com.

The RMTC consists of 23 racing industry stakeholders and organizations that represent Thoroughbred, Standardbred, American Quarter Horse and Arabian racing. The organization works to develop and promote uniform rules, policies and testing standards at the national level; coordinate research and educational programs that seek to ensure the integrity of racing and the health and welfare of racehorses and participants; and protect the interests of the racing public.

For additional information, visit the RMTC website at rmtcnet.com or contact Hallie Lewis, RMTC communications and development consultant, at (859) 224-2848.