General Agreement on 'Prescription for Racing Reform'

Dr. Dionne Benson | RMTC

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United States regulators and the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association largely reacted with nods of approval late this week after taking time to digest the 10-point “Prescription for Racing Reform” released Wednesday by the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

The Lexington-based AAEP is a non-profit organization with over 9,000 veterinary members worldwide. It is also one of 23 racing industry stakeholder groups that occupy a board of directors seat on the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the group that develops uniform rules, policies and testing standards.

Three of the planks of the AAEP's 10-point plan specifically mention recommendations that pertain to the RMTC.

“As a board member, the AAEP is a group that's very influential in the RMTC,” said Dr. Dionne Benson, DVM, executive director and chief operating officer of the RMTC. “They've really taken the side of the horse in the 10 points that they've made. Any recommendations or requests that they bring to us we will certainly review very thoroughly.”

The key point outlined first and foremost in the AAEP press release (although it is covered by planks numbered 9 and 10 within the actual plan) involves the pursuit of research to reduce exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhaging (EIPH) in racehorses by means other than the prevailing practice of administering furosemide (branded Lasix or Salix).

“Few other medications have been studied and virtually no medication strategies outside race-day treatments have been researched,” AAEP plank No. 9 states in part.

“Upon finding efficacious methods to manage EIPH, the AAEP will propose that the RMTC amend its uniform medication policy in order to eliminate race-day medication,” plank No. 10 continues. “If an alternative of equal or greater efficacy to furosemide can be found that will not require race-day administration, the AAEP will support the cessation” of race-day furosemide.

“If there is any medication that is shown to control EIPH in addition to or in lieu of Lasix, we would seriously consider it,” said Benson. “Until there is, we have to continue with what we have. But if something is found, if something is developed, or if it's found that Lasix can be used in a different way, that's something that our board would seriously review and determine whether the change would be in the best interest of the horse.”

NHBPA chief executive officer Eric Hamelback told the TDN that his group “wholeheartedly supports any efforts that can be done from a scientific research standpoint to look at any alternatives, whether it's management strategies or different medications, that can make Lasix more socially acceptable, or possibly find an alternative that can help eliminate [EIPH] as effectively as the current medications that we have.”

Hamelback continued, underscoring the NHBPA's overall stance on medication, “The HBPA is pro-therapeutic medication, and pro-therapeutic medication only. We are advocates of a true and fair national uniform policy for all of our trainers and owners.”

Benson said she interpreted the 10-point plan as “very supportive of the National Uniform Medication Program,” which the RMTC considers one of its own top priorities.

 

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