New Medication Guidelines

Nowso

IGB REGULATORY NOTICE TO OWNERS & TRAINERS
01/04/2014

IGB Regulatory Notice To Owners & Trainers
The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has reviewed its regulations regarding the use of medication for the purpose of oestrus suppression in racing female greyhounds. As a result, the IGB has decided to recommend the use of Norethisterone (as contained in, for example, the preparation Primolut-N) as an oestrus suppressant. Owners and trainers are reminded that this product needs to be administered under the supervision of a Veterinary Surgeon under the “cascade” system, as stipulated by Article 18 (8), (9) and (10) of the Animal Remedies Regulations S.I. 786 of 2007 (as amended). A registered Veterinarian can use a “human medicine licensed in this State” (usually licensed by the Irish Medicines Board), to suppress oestrus in greyhound bitches. (E.g. Primolut-N or an equivalent Norethisterone product).
In summary, a Veterinarian who prescribes such a medicine complies with the requirements of Regulation 18 (8) (9) and (10). The Veterinarian can dispense/supply the medicine or issue a prescription in duplicate (original + copy) to the owner of the bitch for that person to be supplied with the medicine by a “registered pharmacist”

The administration of any anabolic steroid will be strictly forbidden and the presence of an anabolic steroid, a metabolite of an anabolic steroid, or an isomer of an anabolic steroid in a urine or blood sample taken from a racing female greyhound will constitute an offence under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 and Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations, S.I. 302 of 2007 as and from October 1st 2014. The presence of anabolic steroids, their metabolites or their isomers has been prohibited in male greyhounds since May 1st 2007 and there will be no change to this regulatory provision.

The IGB has also addressed the issue of dietary contamination. As a result, it has decided to apply a screening limit of 1µg/ml for Morphine and Procaine. This decision is in line with practice in other major greyhound racing jurisdictions.

The IGB has examined the situation relating to the administration of therapeutic substances such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), e.g. ibuprofen. An issue of concern to the IGB is the declaration of positives for samples taken from greyhounds which had earlier received therapeutic treatment and where the blood and/or urinary concentration of the therapeutic substance has decreased to insignificant (“no effect”) levels. A policy decision has been taken not to declare positives for such samples containing residual traces of the substance in question.

With regard to a Therapeutic Exemption List, the IGB notes that it is currently standard practice in Human Sport and has received Veterinary advice that it is very much a relevant issue in Greyhound Racing. In this regard it is noted that a very limited number of greyhounds nationally suffer from seizures and fits and would benefit greatly from the therapeutic administration of Phenobarbital. The performance enhancing characteristics of Phenobarbital in this regard are considered negligible. It was considered appropriate that when this condition was diagnosed in a greyhound, a Certificate from a Veterinary Surgeon certifying same could be sent to the Regulatory Body in advance of a greyhound competing at a track and this would exempt the greyhound from a Phenobarbital positive. However, it must be stressed that prior application to be placed on this list, accompanied by a Veterinary Certificate must be received by the Regulation Department of IGB prior to the greyhound competing at a licensed track and subsequently testing positive for Phenobarbital.

31 March 2014.