Dr. Dionne Benson, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), has penned a response to trainer Graham Motion's Op/Ed regarding a methocarbamol positive in last year's GIII Bewitch S. winner Kitten's Point (Kitten's Joy). Click here to read Motion's statement.
As executive director of the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC), I can provide scientific insight into Mr. Graham Motion's statements regarding his methocarbamol violation.
Mr. Motion appears to argue that the recent Kentucky Horse Racing Commission decision to waive his suspension for a methocarbamol violation must be due to a lack of scientific support for that threshold.
Quite simply, the science is not lacking. All existing published scientific research supports the current RMTC-recommended threshold and withdrawal guidelines for methocarbamol, when used in conjunction with the route of administration, total number of doses, and total dose provided in the recommendation.
As an initial observation, Mr. Motion appears to blur the line between a threshold and withdrawal guidance. The threshold represents a concentration above which a medication cannot be present in the horse on race day. Withdrawal guidance is merely that–guidance. It represents the best information based upon the existing studies for a specified route of administration, frequency of administration, dose of administration, and total number of doses of a substance.
It is undisputed that the post-race drug test for Mr. Motion's horse showed a violation of the threshold number. It is the withdrawal guidance that Mr. Motion claims to lack scientific validity. I will respond to Mr. Motion's criticism of the RMTC as if the medication was administered as he contends and there was no error in barn management, as is typically the case with violations for this drug.
The RMTC, working through its 16-member Scientific Advisory Committee, in conjunction with veterinary professionals at the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) determine withdrawal guidance. Veterinary practitioners desire numerous administration options. The RMTC, however, must focus its finite research and funding resources on thresholds that protect against the route, frequency and dose that represents an administration used closest in proximity to racing. For methocarbamol, that is a single intravenous dose.
Contrary to Mr. Motion's assertions, the studies published by both Dr. Sams and Dr. Knych included single intravenous administrations of methocarbamol. Under each research protocol, all results were below the RMTC proposed threshold at 48 hours. Thus, all existing published research supports the RMTC's recommended 48-hour withdrawal guideline for a single intravenous methocarbamol administration.
When–as happened in this case–one uses a different route of administration, dose of administration, and a significantly longer duration of treatment and much higher number of total administrations of a medication, the withdrawal guideline is less reliable, or in some cases, entirely inappropriate to use. All RMTC literature clearly highlights this reality and in such instances we urge the trainer to work with his or her veterinarian to assess the risk of a potential violation.
While some, such as Mr. Motion and the National HBPA, have criticized the lack of withdrawal guidance for the numerous alternative dosing regimens a trainer may want to use, they fail to acknowledge the basic issue. It is simply impractical to perform research and provide guidance for every route of administration, dosage, and duration of administration that each trainer or veterinarian may prefer. This is cost prohibitive and, frankly, a misuse of resources. The RMTC recommendations are based on common dosages and routes of administrations from practicing veterinarians and veterinary pharmacologists. If used conscientiously as recommended, they will allow the use of therapeutic medications in training without fear of a post-race violation.
Dr. Dionne Benson
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