Zyzz's brother Chestbrah busted for steroids in Australia.
YOU mirin' brah? ''Yeah, brah, I'm jelly.'' Wanna ride a bicycle tonight? ''Yeah, brah.''
In the online world of amateur bodybuilders, ''mirin'' means admiring, ''jelly'' translates into being jealous and most mentions of ''bicycles'' refer to anabolic steroids.
The Sergeyevich brothers - Said, 25, and Az, 23 - who go by the nicknames ''Chestbrah'' and ''Zyzz'', are the pin-up boys of an amateur bodybuilding scene.
They attract thousands of followers on Facebook who ''mire'' the muscle-flexing photographs.
There is even an online group, ''I hate it when I am at the gym and people mistake me for Zyzz.''
Zyzz and Chestbrah are part of an online subculture of amateur bodybuilders who do not compete but are increasingly using social media to elevate stars among them to Adonis-like prestige.
On Chestbrah's Facebook page, under a personal training picture of himself at a Fitness First gym, a fan writes: ''If I hired you as a pt [personal trainer] would you teach me how to ride a bicycle?'' Chestbrah replies: ''Of course brah.''
On July 14 Chestbrah was charged with possession of anabolic steroid in a police raid across Sydney. Four others were charged, including a 28-year-old bikie gang member.
When The Sun-Herald contacted the bodybuilder, Mr Sergeyevich confirmed that he worked as a personal trainer at Fitness First but would not elaborate on the impending court case.
He has been granted conditional bail and is due to face Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.
Fitness First said it had a policy of ''zero drug tolerance'' and was investigating the matter. ''If the allegations are found to be true, the individual found to be involved will be immediately removed from our clubs,'' a spokeswoman said in a written statement.
As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, police are concerned that bikie gangs are increasingly working in the growing black market of performance-enhancing drugs.
The latest Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report shows that in 2009-10, detections at the country's borders leapt 74 per cent to 2695, including of steroids, dehydroepian-drosterone and selected hormones.
The bodybuilding community is divided on the subject of steroids.
The president of the National Amateur Body Builders Association, Graeme Lancefield, said the use of steroids in his competitions fuelled the entertainment aspect of body-building.
''The bodybuilding competitions are a show and the athletes are performers,'' he said. ''People want to go and see freaks.
It's like going to the circus. Bodybuilding competitions are more of a freak show than anything else.''
Mr Lancefield said his organisation did not conduct drug testing. ''Bodybuilding is not a mainstream sport,'' he said.
''It's a choice of lifestyle, so if people want to take steroids or not, that's at their peril.''
A naturally developed bodybuilder, and personal trainer for Vision Personal Training, Kiril Chevel, said he found it ''frustrating'' that body building was tainted by steroid use.
''I put in the hard work, I don't go out on the weekend and I have very precise training,'' he said.
''You have to have perfect mental focus 100 per cent of the time, yet those who take drugs can reach almost the same spot with half the effort.''
A former steroid user, Jamie Close, 40, of Kirrawee in Sydney, said there was growing social pressure on young men to get that ''better, ripped body''.
He believed the use of steroids in gyms was widespread. ''Ten or 12 years ago, every gym I went into, I had by far the best body. But now there has been a profound increase in the number of men [doing steroids],'' he said.
Testosterone "makes men less susceptible to inflammatory diseases".
It was long known that men suffer more rarely from inflammatory diseases than women, but now a new research has found how sexual hormones play an important role in this.
They found that testosterone makes men less susceptible to inflammatory diseases and allergies than women.
“In a series of analyses we have shown that cells from men and women react in a different manner to inflammatory stimuli,” said Dr. Carlo Pergola from the Institute of Pharmacy of University Jena.
Thus, certain immune cells of women produced nearly twice as many pro-inflammatory substances than those of men. Together with colleagues from Tubingen (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden) and Naples (Italy) the Jena researchers pursued the molecular basis for these differences and published their findings in their current study. To this aim, they isolated immune cells of male and female donors and analyzed in test tubes the activity of the enzymes responsible for the production of pro-inflammatory substances.
They found that in male cells the enzyme phospholipase D is less active than in the female ones.
“Interestingly, the activity of the enzyme is reduced after treatment with testosterone also in the female immune cells”, added Pergola.
Based on these findings, the Jena pharmacists concluded that the male sex hormones play a key role in the modulation of the immune response. This would also explain another phenomenon that has been previously noticed, that is, testosterone can protect men from arteriosclerosis.
They found that testosterone makes men less susceptible to inflammatory diseases and allergies than women.
“In a series of analyses we have shown that cells from men and women react in a different manner to inflammatory stimuli,” said Dr. Carlo Pergola from the Institute of Pharmacy of University Jena.
Thus, certain immune cells of women produced nearly twice as many pro-inflammatory substances than those of men. Together with colleagues from Tubingen (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden) and Naples (Italy) the Jena researchers pursued the molecular basis for these differences and published their findings in their current study. To this aim, they isolated immune cells of male and female donors and analyzed in test tubes the activity of the enzymes responsible for the production of pro-inflammatory substances.
They found that in male cells the enzyme phospholipase D is less active than in the female ones.
“Interestingly, the activity of the enzyme is reduced after treatment with testosterone also in the female immune cells”, added Pergola.
Based on these findings, the Jena pharmacists concluded that the male sex hormones play a key role in the modulation of the immune response. This would also explain another phenomenon that has been previously noticed, that is, testosterone can protect men from arteriosclerosis.
Two months in jail for each member of domestic steroid lab gang.
A local judge ordered three Waynesboro men to each serve two months in jail for having illegal steroids that police accused them of selling as part of a local ring.
Police nabbed Troy Dwain Cox, 47, in two separate stings this year in which they monitored an informant as he bought anabolic steroids from Cox, according to statements in Waynesboro Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Cox was part of a local ring along with Matthew McClamroch, 21, and 29-year-old Richard Stokes whose members were charged with selling the performance-enhancing drug this year, said Capt. Kelly Walker, of the Waynesboro Police Department.
The trio were arrested in May and each charged with two counts of making and distributing steroids.
On Wednesday Judge Humes J. Franklin Jr. accepted a plea deal Cox agreed to with Commonwealth's Attorney Charles P. Ajemian that reduced one of his charges to misdemeanor possession of steroids.
His agreement was identical to those provided Wednesday to McClamroch and Stokes, court records show. The judge convicted each one for the misdemeanor possession count and sentenced them to 12 months in prison with 10 suspended. They must also serve two years of probation, according to court records.
Franklin found enough evidence to convict each man on the felony count, but will withhold judgment until the end of their probation terms. With good behavior and compliance with probation terms, Ajemian agreed that he'll drop that charge against the three.
Police nabbed Troy Dwain Cox, 47, in two separate stings this year in which they monitored an informant as he bought anabolic steroids from Cox, according to statements in Waynesboro Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Cox was part of a local ring along with Matthew McClamroch, 21, and 29-year-old Richard Stokes whose members were charged with selling the performance-enhancing drug this year, said Capt. Kelly Walker, of the Waynesboro Police Department.
The trio were arrested in May and each charged with two counts of making and distributing steroids.
On Wednesday Judge Humes J. Franklin Jr. accepted a plea deal Cox agreed to with Commonwealth's Attorney Charles P. Ajemian that reduced one of his charges to misdemeanor possession of steroids.
His agreement was identical to those provided Wednesday to McClamroch and Stokes, court records show. The judge convicted each one for the misdemeanor possession count and sentenced them to 12 months in prison with 10 suspended. They must also serve two years of probation, according to court records.
Franklin found enough evidence to convict each man on the felony count, but will withhold judgment until the end of their probation terms. With good behavior and compliance with probation terms, Ajemian agreed that he'll drop that charge against the three.
Czech Police bust huge UG steroid lab.
Czech Police said Tuesday that that they bust a ring composed of ex-sportsmen, body builders, fitness trainers and organizers of competitions in the sector which produced and sold counterfeit anabolic steroids and other hormone-based drugs.
The special unit for combating organized crime (ÚOOZ) said eight Czechs and three Slovaks were arrested after a surveillance operation started in 2010 of their secretive production site in the eastern Zlín region. The action was prepared in cooperation witht the National Anti-Drug Center (NPC).
‘The tablets, promising success in the conventional sporting and sexual arenas, were sold not just to sportsmen but to people suffering from specific illnesses.’
The tablets, promising success in the conventional sporting and sexual arenas, were sold not just to sportsmen but to people suffering from specific illnesses such as liver and kidney problems and erectile disfunction, the police said in a statement.
At the factory site, which was protected by sophisticated security equipment, police found hundreds of thousands of tablets. Around 24 kilograms of a blue tablet “for men” — no doubt a Viagra rip off — was discovered on site, for example. Cash totaling around Kč 500,000 was also found at the factory.
The drugs were distributed around the Czech Republic, Slovakia and other EU countries, police added.
Three of the eleven have been detained in custody with the others released on bail. Charges include production and distribution of hormone affecting substances, flouting protected copyright and brand protection, illegal commerce and illegal production and distribution of psychotropic drugs and preparations.
Members of the group could face sentences of between five and 12 years in prison if found guilty of their charges.
The special unit for combating organized crime (ÚOOZ) said eight Czechs and three Slovaks were arrested after a surveillance operation started in 2010 of their secretive production site in the eastern Zlín region. The action was prepared in cooperation witht the National Anti-Drug Center (NPC).
‘The tablets, promising success in the conventional sporting and sexual arenas, were sold not just to sportsmen but to people suffering from specific illnesses.’
The tablets, promising success in the conventional sporting and sexual arenas, were sold not just to sportsmen but to people suffering from specific illnesses such as liver and kidney problems and erectile disfunction, the police said in a statement.
At the factory site, which was protected by sophisticated security equipment, police found hundreds of thousands of tablets. Around 24 kilograms of a blue tablet “for men” — no doubt a Viagra rip off — was discovered on site, for example. Cash totaling around Kč 500,000 was also found at the factory.
The drugs were distributed around the Czech Republic, Slovakia and other EU countries, police added.
Three of the eleven have been detained in custody with the others released on bail. Charges include production and distribution of hormone affecting substances, flouting protected copyright and brand protection, illegal commerce and illegal production and distribution of psychotropic drugs and preparations.
Members of the group could face sentences of between five and 12 years in prison if found guilty of their charges.
British policeman sacked for steroids use even though perfectly legal.
A bodybuilding police officer has been sacked after using steroids to boost his physique.
Sgt Darren Towers has been dismissed by Northumbria Police for gross misconduct after he admitted using the class C drug in court.
His dismissal comes following a detailed and lengthy probe by the force’s Counter Corruption Unit into the officer’s behaviour outside of work.
The amateur bodybuilder was initially arrested last year and charged with conspiracy to supply steroids.
However, he was cleared of drug dealing following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
But the force conducted their own misconduct proceedings against the 41-year-old, despite him being cleared of all charges.
Sgt Towers said he strongly disputes the decision.
A spokeswoman said: “Northumbria Police expects that officers and staff adhere to the highest possible standards of professional conduct.
“Where those standards fall below the required level, we always take robust action. Following the court case, the evidence was reviewed and a decision was taken that there was still a case to answer for gross misconduct.
“An internal investigation was carried out and a hearing took place on July 11 to July 13. The outcome in this case was a finding of gross misconduct and Towers has been dismissed from the force with immediate effect.”
Sgt Towers, who had been suspended from duty since his arrest in June last year, admitted using steroids but insisted it was legal to have them for personal use, which it is.
During his trial, held last December, he told how he had originally started using them in the 1990s.
Prosecutors claimed he conspired with two other men, Martin Fannan and Martin Flett, to supply the drug among friends.
A former member of the Royal Navy, Sgt Towers, from Jarrow, gave up steroids in 1998 because he wanted to become a police officer after becoming a jujitsu black belt.
The officer, who worked as a custody sergeant in Sunderland, admitted starting to use steroids again in 2006 when he began training for bodybuilding competitions, but said he thought it was not against the law to have them for personal use.
He said he felt “confident” he was not breaking the law after checking on the internet.
The people arrested with Sgt Towers – Flett, 27, from Ely Way, Fellgate, Jarrow, and Fannan, 34, a doorman from Hudson Avenue, Horden, County Durham – were given conditional discharges for two years after admitting conspiracy to supply steroids.
Sgt Darren Towers has been dismissed by Northumbria Police for gross misconduct after he admitted using the class C drug in court.
His dismissal comes following a detailed and lengthy probe by the force’s Counter Corruption Unit into the officer’s behaviour outside of work.
The amateur bodybuilder was initially arrested last year and charged with conspiracy to supply steroids.
However, he was cleared of drug dealing following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
But the force conducted their own misconduct proceedings against the 41-year-old, despite him being cleared of all charges.
Sgt Towers said he strongly disputes the decision.
A spokeswoman said: “Northumbria Police expects that officers and staff adhere to the highest possible standards of professional conduct.
“Where those standards fall below the required level, we always take robust action. Following the court case, the evidence was reviewed and a decision was taken that there was still a case to answer for gross misconduct.
“An internal investigation was carried out and a hearing took place on July 11 to July 13. The outcome in this case was a finding of gross misconduct and Towers has been dismissed from the force with immediate effect.”
Sgt Towers, who had been suspended from duty since his arrest in June last year, admitted using steroids but insisted it was legal to have them for personal use, which it is.
During his trial, held last December, he told how he had originally started using them in the 1990s.
Prosecutors claimed he conspired with two other men, Martin Fannan and Martin Flett, to supply the drug among friends.
A former member of the Royal Navy, Sgt Towers, from Jarrow, gave up steroids in 1998 because he wanted to become a police officer after becoming a jujitsu black belt.
The officer, who worked as a custody sergeant in Sunderland, admitted starting to use steroids again in 2006 when he began training for bodybuilding competitions, but said he thought it was not against the law to have them for personal use.
He said he felt “confident” he was not breaking the law after checking on the internet.
The people arrested with Sgt Towers – Flett, 27, from Ely Way, Fellgate, Jarrow, and Fannan, 34, a doorman from Hudson Avenue, Horden, County Durham – were given conditional discharges for two years after admitting conspiracy to supply steroids.
Canadian football player Jordan Matechuk pleads guilty .
Canadian football player Jordan Matechuk has pleaded guilty to possession of steroids and marijuana following his May 31 arrest at the U.S.-Canada border.
The steroid count is a felony with a maximum sentence of two years, and the marijuana count is a misdemeanor with a one-year maximum. Prosecutor Brian Peppler says he's not sure when Matechuk will be sentenced, but as far as he's concerned, the case is now closed.
Matechuk was a long snapper for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. They released him in early June, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced his arrest at the International Bridge border crossing.
The steroid count is a felony with a maximum sentence of two years, and the marijuana count is a misdemeanor with a one-year maximum. Prosecutor Brian Peppler says he's not sure when Matechuk will be sentenced, but as far as he's concerned, the case is now closed.
Matechuk was a long snapper for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. They released him in early June, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced his arrest at the International Bridge border crossing.
Researchers find new liver cancer and androgen link.
A breakthrough in liver cancer research by Chinese University scientists has raised hopes for a treatment for the disease in the near future.
It was previously thought that men were more prone to liver cancer than women because they drank and smoked more. But a three-year study by researchers from the University's Institute of Digestive Disease now shows that a male sex hormone, androgen, is the reason behind the prevalence of the cancer in men.
The study also discovered that an enzyme called CCRK - which is controlled by androgen - is responsible for tumour growth in the liver.
It was previously thought that men were more prone to liver cancer than women because they drank and smoked more. But a three-year study by researchers from the University's Institute of Digestive Disease now shows that a male sex hormone, androgen, is the reason behind the prevalence of the cancer in men.
The study also discovered that an enzyme called CCRK - which is controlled by androgen - is responsible for tumour growth in the liver.
New reserach on T replacement in the over 45s.
“In clinical trials where testosterone has been used in patients with pre-existing CV conditions, the effect on disease symptoms has typically been either neutral or beneficial,” the researchers wrote. According to results of the review, testosterone treatment significantly improved exercise performance in hypogonadal and eugonadal men with heart failure. Therapy also had no significant effect on serum lipid profiles or C-reactive protein in hypogonadal men with HF and physiologic levels of testosterone; however, therapy did produce small increases in total body mass and reductions in body fat percentage.
Several meta-analyses also linked testosterone treatment with better metabolic parameters, including decreases in fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, fat mass and plasma triglycerides in patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, the researchers found that testosterone therapy had no impact or slightly beneficial effects on CV risk factors in hypogonadal men with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. The treatment appeared to improve insulin sensitivity, decreased central adiposity and did not negatively affect inflammation.
An exception was an increase in hematocrit in this patient population using testosterone therapy, the researchers said.
“Although an increase in hematocrit may be of concern in some conditions, patients with [HF] are often anemic; therefore, the effect of testosterone on [hemoglobin] levels may be regarded as beneficial,” the researchers wrote.
In patients with angina or coronary artery disease, hematocrit increased with testosterone treatment, but the therapy had no effect on C-reactive protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and fibrogen, and antithrombotic factor tissue plasminogen activator.
Although testosterone therapy did not have an effect on LDL and triglyceride levels, the treatment either did not change or considerably reduced total and HDL cholesterol, according to the results. The researchers noted, however, that decreases in total and HDL cholesterol were an inconsistent response among study participants.
Despite these encouraging conclusions, the researchers acknowledged the limitations of the studies analyzed.
“The majority of the randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials of testosterone included in this analysis were small and of short duration,” the researchers wrote. “Obviously, outcomes of large, well-designed, prospective trials would be a more compelling proof of the benefit (or otherwise) of testosterone treatment in terms of CV safety.”
Several meta-analyses also linked testosterone treatment with better metabolic parameters, including decreases in fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, fat mass and plasma triglycerides in patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, the researchers found that testosterone therapy had no impact or slightly beneficial effects on CV risk factors in hypogonadal men with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. The treatment appeared to improve insulin sensitivity, decreased central adiposity and did not negatively affect inflammation.
An exception was an increase in hematocrit in this patient population using testosterone therapy, the researchers said.
“Although an increase in hematocrit may be of concern in some conditions, patients with [HF] are often anemic; therefore, the effect of testosterone on [hemoglobin] levels may be regarded as beneficial,” the researchers wrote.
In patients with angina or coronary artery disease, hematocrit increased with testosterone treatment, but the therapy had no effect on C-reactive protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and fibrogen, and antithrombotic factor tissue plasminogen activator.
Although testosterone therapy did not have an effect on LDL and triglyceride levels, the treatment either did not change or considerably reduced total and HDL cholesterol, according to the results. The researchers noted, however, that decreases in total and HDL cholesterol were an inconsistent response among study participants.
Despite these encouraging conclusions, the researchers acknowledged the limitations of the studies analyzed.
“The majority of the randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials of testosterone included in this analysis were small and of short duration,” the researchers wrote. “Obviously, outcomes of large, well-designed, prospective trials would be a more compelling proof of the benefit (or otherwise) of testosterone treatment in terms of CV safety.”
Steroids raids in Sydney Australia.
Police searched a Kogarah business yesterday as part of a Sydney-wide raid into the supply of steroids.
Investigators from the state crime command, including bikie specialists attached to strike force raptor, searched five buildings at Castle Hill, Waterloo, Blacktown and Kogarah.
Gangs squad police arrested four people as part of the raid including a Blacktown man, 28, believed to be a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club.
They seized $29,000 in cash and a large number of steroids including 2000 restricted substances in a storage shed at Castle Hill.
A 66-year-old, 54-year-old woman and 25-year-old man were arrested at Castle Hill and will face court charged with supplying a restricted substance and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
The Blacktown man will face Blacktown Local Court on August 11 charged with possession prohibited weapon, having goods suspected to be stolen, and the possession of anabolic steroids.
Police, including officers from Strike Force Raptor, have charged four people over the alleged supply of drugs by outlaw motorcycle gang members and associates.
Between 12.50pm and 7.30pm yesterday (July 14), officers executed search warrants at five locations including a business unit at Castle Hill, a residential unit at Castle Hill, a pharmacy at Kogarah, a residential unit at Waterloo and a house in Blacktown.
Strike Force Observer was established in December 2010 to investigate the alleged supply of prohibited drugs and prescribed restricted substances in the Castle Hill area by motorcycle gang members and associates. The operation followed a number of controlled operations previously conducted by Strike Force Observer detectives.
A total of four people were arrested yesterday including a 66-year-old man as well as a 54-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man at a business premises at Castle Hill and a 28-year-old male member of the Hells Angels at a Blacktown home.
During the warrant at the Castle Hill business premises, police located and seized over $29,000 cash and a quantity of steroids inside. Police also located and seized 2000 individual items of various steroids and restricted substances in a storage shed at Castle Hill.
The following charges were laid by police:
A man, 66, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with supplying a restricted substance, knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime and supply unregistered/unlisted therapeutic goods by retail. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Court today;
A woman, 54, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with supplying unregistered/unlisted goods, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and supplying restricted substance. She was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Court today;
A man, 25, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with possess anabolic steroid and was given conditional bail to appear at Parramatta Court on August 4;
A man, 28, charged at St Marys Police Station with possess prohibited weapon, goods in custody and possess anabolic steroids. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Blacktown Court on August 11.
Investigators from the state crime command, including bikie specialists attached to strike force raptor, searched five buildings at Castle Hill, Waterloo, Blacktown and Kogarah.
Gangs squad police arrested four people as part of the raid including a Blacktown man, 28, believed to be a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club.
They seized $29,000 in cash and a large number of steroids including 2000 restricted substances in a storage shed at Castle Hill.
A 66-year-old, 54-year-old woman and 25-year-old man were arrested at Castle Hill and will face court charged with supplying a restricted substance and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
The Blacktown man will face Blacktown Local Court on August 11 charged with possession prohibited weapon, having goods suspected to be stolen, and the possession of anabolic steroids.
Police, including officers from Strike Force Raptor, have charged four people over the alleged supply of drugs by outlaw motorcycle gang members and associates.
Between 12.50pm and 7.30pm yesterday (July 14), officers executed search warrants at five locations including a business unit at Castle Hill, a residential unit at Castle Hill, a pharmacy at Kogarah, a residential unit at Waterloo and a house in Blacktown.
Strike Force Observer was established in December 2010 to investigate the alleged supply of prohibited drugs and prescribed restricted substances in the Castle Hill area by motorcycle gang members and associates. The operation followed a number of controlled operations previously conducted by Strike Force Observer detectives.
A total of four people were arrested yesterday including a 66-year-old man as well as a 54-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man at a business premises at Castle Hill and a 28-year-old male member of the Hells Angels at a Blacktown home.
During the warrant at the Castle Hill business premises, police located and seized over $29,000 cash and a quantity of steroids inside. Police also located and seized 2000 individual items of various steroids and restricted substances in a storage shed at Castle Hill.
The following charges were laid by police:
A man, 66, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with supplying a restricted substance, knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime and supply unregistered/unlisted therapeutic goods by retail. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Court today;
A woman, 54, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with supplying unregistered/unlisted goods, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and supplying restricted substance. She was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Court today;
A man, 25, charged at Castle Hill Police Station with possess anabolic steroid and was given conditional bail to appear at Parramatta Court on August 4;
A man, 28, charged at St Marys Police Station with possess prohibited weapon, goods in custody and possess anabolic steroids. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Blacktown Court on August 11.
Steroid pill mill had links to 57 US doctors.
In about six months, 10,774 orders of anabolic-androgenic steroids and human growth hormone left Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy in Jensen Beach.
The prescriptions, dispensed between Oct. 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, came from 57 doctors, according to a Florida Department of Health order to shut down the pharmacy, located at 1114 Jensen Beach Blvd.
In its emergency suspension order of the pharmacy's permit, the Health Department states that 30 of the doctors practice in Florida, and one wrote more than 4,400 of the prescriptions.
Two other doctors prescribed the steroids, generally used for building lean muscle, for themselves.
But officials do not identify the doctors, except by initials. And Jennifer Hirst, a spokeswoman in Tallahassee, would not say if charges have been pressed against them, but indicated the investigation is ongoing.
Officials shut down the pharmacy on June 28 after a joint investigation by the Department of Health and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
They say the local business was one of the largest steroids suppliers in the country, and that it was part of an Internet network that saw it ship controlled substances to buyers in the continental United States and even overseas to Guam, the Virgin Islands, Finland and Canada.
Health officials said the Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy was licensed to do business in 48 states, but not New York and North Carolina.
But between October 2010 and March 2011, officials said the company shipped prescription medication to 387 patients in New York and 32 in North Carolina.
A DEA investigator conducted an investigation of the pharmacy in March 2010 and found that the majority of doctors prescribing steroids lived in states different than their patients. The investigator pulled nearly 1,000 records, according to the suspension order.
"Physicians who have never examined patients are signing prescriptions that are presented to them for signature, based on orders that patients have placed over the Internet," investigators said. "Physicians sign the prescriptions without examining the patients and without determining whether the quantities and dosages of the anabolic-androgenic steroids and (human growth hormone) are medically appropriate."
The scheme seemed to work seamlessly that two Internet businesses formed relationships with physicians and Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy, Ms. Hirst said.
Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy belongs to Peter Del Toro, a licensed pharmacist, who owns and operates the business. He employed four other pharmacists, but distributed about 85 percent of medication, authorities said.
Mr. Del Toro was not available for comment by press time, but investigators said the wrongdoing was companywide, and "not limited to one pharmacist or employee, but instead (had) permeated the entire pharmacy and all its staff."
"Mr. Del Toro knows or should know that the prescriptions for anabolic-androgenic steroids and (human growth hormone) that are supplied to Treasure Coast for fulfillment are signed by physicians who are often not located in the same states as the patients seeking medications, and that physicians have not established a physician-patient relationship with the patients," the order stated.
An undercover investigation also found pharmacy staff failing to conduct proper verifications of prescriptions, and officials said the company improperly dispensed thousands of orders, many of which were for oxycodone - a drug that has become a favorite on the black market.
The prescriptions, dispensed between Oct. 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, came from 57 doctors, according to a Florida Department of Health order to shut down the pharmacy, located at 1114 Jensen Beach Blvd.
In its emergency suspension order of the pharmacy's permit, the Health Department states that 30 of the doctors practice in Florida, and one wrote more than 4,400 of the prescriptions.
Two other doctors prescribed the steroids, generally used for building lean muscle, for themselves.
But officials do not identify the doctors, except by initials. And Jennifer Hirst, a spokeswoman in Tallahassee, would not say if charges have been pressed against them, but indicated the investigation is ongoing.
Officials shut down the pharmacy on June 28 after a joint investigation by the Department of Health and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
They say the local business was one of the largest steroids suppliers in the country, and that it was part of an Internet network that saw it ship controlled substances to buyers in the continental United States and even overseas to Guam, the Virgin Islands, Finland and Canada.
Health officials said the Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy was licensed to do business in 48 states, but not New York and North Carolina.
But between October 2010 and March 2011, officials said the company shipped prescription medication to 387 patients in New York and 32 in North Carolina.
A DEA investigator conducted an investigation of the pharmacy in March 2010 and found that the majority of doctors prescribing steroids lived in states different than their patients. The investigator pulled nearly 1,000 records, according to the suspension order.
"Physicians who have never examined patients are signing prescriptions that are presented to them for signature, based on orders that patients have placed over the Internet," investigators said. "Physicians sign the prescriptions without examining the patients and without determining whether the quantities and dosages of the anabolic-androgenic steroids and (human growth hormone) are medically appropriate."
The scheme seemed to work seamlessly that two Internet businesses formed relationships with physicians and Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy, Ms. Hirst said.
Treasure Coast Specialty Pharmacy belongs to Peter Del Toro, a licensed pharmacist, who owns and operates the business. He employed four other pharmacists, but distributed about 85 percent of medication, authorities said.
Mr. Del Toro was not available for comment by press time, but investigators said the wrongdoing was companywide, and "not limited to one pharmacist or employee, but instead (had) permeated the entire pharmacy and all its staff."
"Mr. Del Toro knows or should know that the prescriptions for anabolic-androgenic steroids and (human growth hormone) that are supplied to Treasure Coast for fulfillment are signed by physicians who are often not located in the same states as the patients seeking medications, and that physicians have not established a physician-patient relationship with the patients," the order stated.
An undercover investigation also found pharmacy staff failing to conduct proper verifications of prescriptions, and officials said the company improperly dispensed thousands of orders, many of which were for oxycodone - a drug that has become a favorite on the black market.
Utah police break up Mexican pharmaceutical distribution ring.
Utah’s SECURE Strike Force arrested 21 people and seized several thousand containers of drugs illegally smuggled in from Mexico to stores in Salt Lake, Utah, Weber, Davis, Tooele and Summit counties.
Assistant Attorney General Jake Taylor said Thursday that agents raided 27 Latino-operated markets at various locations, recovering large quantities of prescription drugs and other medicines, not approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States.
Taylor said investigators continue to look into possible links to organized crime organizations south of the border, including infamous Mexican drug cartels, but had not yet confirmed any direct links.
In addition to an assortment of pain medications, agents seized pills; tablet, capsule and injectable antibiotics; steroids; and other drugs during an operation that began Monday.
"The clandestine sales of illegal pharmaceuticals is big business for some of these stores," stated Ken Wallentine, chief of law enforcement for the Utah Attorney General’s Office. "One store had $40,000 in cash hidden with the stash of pharmaceuticals. Another store had nearly a quarter-million dollars in cash concealed with the drugs and a set of books suggesting a huge volume in back-door drug sales."
The drugs were being sold without a prescription and under the counter at a number of retail establishments. None of the stores had a pharmacy license and none employed a licensed and trained pharmacy staff, officials said.
"Obviously, we’re concerned with sales of Lortab and other potent painkillers, but medical professionals have raised a substantial alarm about the dangers of using many of the other drugs seized without any medical diagnosis," said Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.
Wilfred Cabistan was one of the 21 people arrested Monday. Cabistan was identified as a major importer of illegal pharmaceuticals. A search of a storage facility controlled by Cabistan allegedly yielded nearly 1,500 containers of smuggled prescription pills.
Assistant Attorney General Jake Taylor said Thursday that agents raided 27 Latino-operated markets at various locations, recovering large quantities of prescription drugs and other medicines, not approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States.
Taylor said investigators continue to look into possible links to organized crime organizations south of the border, including infamous Mexican drug cartels, but had not yet confirmed any direct links.
In addition to an assortment of pain medications, agents seized pills; tablet, capsule and injectable antibiotics; steroids; and other drugs during an operation that began Monday.
"The clandestine sales of illegal pharmaceuticals is big business for some of these stores," stated Ken Wallentine, chief of law enforcement for the Utah Attorney General’s Office. "One store had $40,000 in cash hidden with the stash of pharmaceuticals. Another store had nearly a quarter-million dollars in cash concealed with the drugs and a set of books suggesting a huge volume in back-door drug sales."
The drugs were being sold without a prescription and under the counter at a number of retail establishments. None of the stores had a pharmacy license and none employed a licensed and trained pharmacy staff, officials said.
"Obviously, we’re concerned with sales of Lortab and other potent painkillers, but medical professionals have raised a substantial alarm about the dangers of using many of the other drugs seized without any medical diagnosis," said Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.
Wilfred Cabistan was one of the 21 people arrested Monday. Cabistan was identified as a major importer of illegal pharmaceuticals. A search of a storage facility controlled by Cabistan allegedly yielded nearly 1,500 containers of smuggled prescription pills.
Veterinary injectable L-carnitine growing in popularity with steroid starved bodybuilders in Australia.
GYM junkies are injecting drugs meant for greyhounds in the mistaken belief it will help them build bigger muscles faster.
Although L-carnitine is found in supplements sold for human consumption, users are buying an injectable form from pet shops which experts say can increase the risk of heart attacks.
In theory, injecting the dog version of L-carnitine could help bodybuilders pump more weights before exhausting their muscles. The drug is not a steroid but is said to speed the metabolic process of converting fat into energy.
For humans it is sold as a weight-loss aid and to develop lean muscle mass.
But Wentworth Park greyhound racing's head veterinarian Ted Humphries said, besides the obvious "insanity" of injecting a drug designed for dogs, the canine version was mainly used to help muscle contraction.
He said tests of the drug on greyhounds had found "no demonstrable improvements" on performance.
"About 10 per cent of trainers use it but the other 90 per cent wouldn't bother," Mr Humphries said.
"It could cause cardiac arrest in large doses in those with an underlying heart condition. A lot of people are unaware they have one and bodybuilders would not be exempt from that."
Mr Humphries said veterinary drug manufacturers were "generally less stringent" about the exact contents of drugs compared with drugs for humans.
Personal trainer Michael Clubb said it was the latest "fad" in amateur body building and its use was emerging in Sydney's west.
"It's mostly young men. Young guys looking to bulk up and get ripped before summer," he said.
Like steroids, Mr Clubb said there were inherent and unknown risks in people injecting L-carnitine.
There are 92 medicines listed as low-risk by the Therapeutic Goods Administration containing L-carnitine and all are taken orally.
A TGA spokeswoman said injectable L-carnitine was not approved for human use and it was illegal to use veterinary drugs on people. A 100ml bottle of L-carnitine can be bought over the veterinary counter for $69.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority said, because L-carnitine was not a schedule 4 substance, which are remedies prescribed following a veterinary diagnosis, it could not further regulate its sale. "Chemical abuse extends beyond L-carnitine and can be tragic in its consequences," a spokesman said.
Although L-carnitine is found in supplements sold for human consumption, users are buying an injectable form from pet shops which experts say can increase the risk of heart attacks.
In theory, injecting the dog version of L-carnitine could help bodybuilders pump more weights before exhausting their muscles. The drug is not a steroid but is said to speed the metabolic process of converting fat into energy.
For humans it is sold as a weight-loss aid and to develop lean muscle mass.
But Wentworth Park greyhound racing's head veterinarian Ted Humphries said, besides the obvious "insanity" of injecting a drug designed for dogs, the canine version was mainly used to help muscle contraction.
He said tests of the drug on greyhounds had found "no demonstrable improvements" on performance.
"About 10 per cent of trainers use it but the other 90 per cent wouldn't bother," Mr Humphries said.
"It could cause cardiac arrest in large doses in those with an underlying heart condition. A lot of people are unaware they have one and bodybuilders would not be exempt from that."
Mr Humphries said veterinary drug manufacturers were "generally less stringent" about the exact contents of drugs compared with drugs for humans.
Personal trainer Michael Clubb said it was the latest "fad" in amateur body building and its use was emerging in Sydney's west.
"It's mostly young men. Young guys looking to bulk up and get ripped before summer," he said.
Like steroids, Mr Clubb said there were inherent and unknown risks in people injecting L-carnitine.
There are 92 medicines listed as low-risk by the Therapeutic Goods Administration containing L-carnitine and all are taken orally.
A TGA spokeswoman said injectable L-carnitine was not approved for human use and it was illegal to use veterinary drugs on people. A 100ml bottle of L-carnitine can be bought over the veterinary counter for $69.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority said, because L-carnitine was not a schedule 4 substance, which are remedies prescribed following a veterinary diagnosis, it could not further regulate its sale. "Chemical abuse extends beyond L-carnitine and can be tragic in its consequences," a spokesman said.
Two female North Korean Footballer players caught doping
Football's governing body FIFA banned North Korean defenders Song Jong-Sun and Jong Pok-Sim on Thursday after they failed a doping test.
"Two players from Korea DPR, Jong Sun Song and Sim Pok Jong, were provisionally suspended prior to their team's match against Colombia in Bochum yesterday in view of adverse analytical findings in the 'A' samples collected during two anti-doping tests conducted after the team's previous matches in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup," said FIFA in a statement.
The pair were removed from the lineup for North Korea's goalless draw with Colombia in Bochum on Wednesday, but after the Group C game, the entire team were tested by FIFA. "This is a unique event at the World Cup, but if there are two positive samples in a team it means we have to investigate," said Dr Jiri Dvorak, FIFA's chief medical officer.
The two players were tested after the first two games against the United States and Sweden and their samples were examined at the World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory in Kreischa, east Germany, and then at the German Sport University in Cologne. "This is a very sad day," said Dvorak.
"Two players from Korea DPR, Jong Sun Song and Sim Pok Jong, were provisionally suspended prior to their team's match against Colombia in Bochum yesterday in view of adverse analytical findings in the 'A' samples collected during two anti-doping tests conducted after the team's previous matches in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup," said FIFA in a statement.
The pair were removed from the lineup for North Korea's goalless draw with Colombia in Bochum on Wednesday, but after the Group C game, the entire team were tested by FIFA. "This is a unique event at the World Cup, but if there are two positive samples in a team it means we have to investigate," said Dr Jiri Dvorak, FIFA's chief medical officer.
The two players were tested after the first two games against the United States and Sweden and their samples were examined at the World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory in Kreischa, east Germany, and then at the German Sport University in Cologne. "This is a very sad day," said Dvorak.
Tiger's Canadian doctor pleads guilty to HGH smuggling.
Anthony Galea, a Canadian doctor who specializes in treating athletes, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce for the purpose of treating professional athletes, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
Those drugs included human growth hormone and Actovegin, a derivative of calf's blood, the ICE statement said. HGH is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for sports injuries and is banned by most professional sports leagues. Actovegin is not approved for any use in humans.
Galea admitted traveling to the United States "numerous times" from 2007 through September 2009 to treat professional athletes, including players in the National Football League and Major League Baseball, according to court documents.
Galea is not licensed to practice medicine in the United States.
Galea, 51, of Toronto, entered his plea before New York Western District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara in Buffalo, New York.
FBI Buffalo spokeswoman Maureen Dempsey was present for the court proceedings. Dempsey said that despite the prosecution's hesitance to release the names of any athletes that had received treatments, the prosecutor divulged three names at Judge Arcara's insistence.
The prosecutor named golf professional Tiger Woods, and two NFL players -- Takeo Spikes of the San Francisco 49ers and Jamal Lewis, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, according to Dempsey. Efforts by CNN to reach Wood, Spikes and Lewis, or their representatives were not successful Wednesday night.
According to Dempsey, the prosecutor confirmed the athletes got treatments from Galea, but did not all receive the same treatments. He did not say which treatments each received, but did say the players did not commit a crime by receiving the treatments as long as they never lied to investigators.
Dempsey said that Galea is believed to have treated over 20 patient/athletes, and the baseball and football leagues are anxious to find out what he will say when he meets with FBI investigators. Galea's plea deal requires he provide a statement on who he treated and how, as well as cooperate in any further investigations that may arise as a result.
"Here, the defendant admitted to not only bringing unapproved substances into the country repeatedly, but that he also practiced medicine without a license, supervised criminal conduct of others and obstructed justice through the actions of one of the defendant's Canadian employees. This case should therefore serve as a warning to all that such conduct will be prosecuted," said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., for Western District of New York.
Galea faces a maximum three years in prison in addition to fines and forfeitures of up to more than $275,000 said Dempsey.
According to court documents, sentencing is set for October 19.
Those drugs included human growth hormone and Actovegin, a derivative of calf's blood, the ICE statement said. HGH is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for sports injuries and is banned by most professional sports leagues. Actovegin is not approved for any use in humans.
Galea admitted traveling to the United States "numerous times" from 2007 through September 2009 to treat professional athletes, including players in the National Football League and Major League Baseball, according to court documents.
Galea is not licensed to practice medicine in the United States.
Galea, 51, of Toronto, entered his plea before New York Western District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara in Buffalo, New York.
FBI Buffalo spokeswoman Maureen Dempsey was present for the court proceedings. Dempsey said that despite the prosecution's hesitance to release the names of any athletes that had received treatments, the prosecutor divulged three names at Judge Arcara's insistence.
The prosecutor named golf professional Tiger Woods, and two NFL players -- Takeo Spikes of the San Francisco 49ers and Jamal Lewis, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, according to Dempsey. Efforts by CNN to reach Wood, Spikes and Lewis, or their representatives were not successful Wednesday night.
According to Dempsey, the prosecutor confirmed the athletes got treatments from Galea, but did not all receive the same treatments. He did not say which treatments each received, but did say the players did not commit a crime by receiving the treatments as long as they never lied to investigators.
Dempsey said that Galea is believed to have treated over 20 patient/athletes, and the baseball and football leagues are anxious to find out what he will say when he meets with FBI investigators. Galea's plea deal requires he provide a statement on who he treated and how, as well as cooperate in any further investigations that may arise as a result.
"Here, the defendant admitted to not only bringing unapproved substances into the country repeatedly, but that he also practiced medicine without a license, supervised criminal conduct of others and obstructed justice through the actions of one of the defendant's Canadian employees. This case should therefore serve as a warning to all that such conduct will be prosecuted," said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., for Western District of New York.
Galea faces a maximum three years in prison in addition to fines and forfeitures of up to more than $275,000 said Dempsey.
According to court documents, sentencing is set for October 19.
Victor Conte comments on TRT in MMA.
Conte scoffs at the notion that there is a large percentage of mixed martial arts fighters and boxers who genuinely need testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT, for legitimate medical reasons. He believes they’ve simply discovered a way to increase their testosterone levels without failing a postfight drug screening.
“This is just another way to circumvent the rules,” Conte said of TRT usage in MMA and boxing, which entered the headlines last month when Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Nate Marquardt revealed he had fought three times while on testosterone replacement therapy. “That’s all it is.”
Former UFC welterweight contender Frank Trigg said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports that fighters will test boundaries in order to gain some sort of advantage. And he believes that’s exactly what is happening with the increasing number of fighters seeking therapeutic-use exemptions for TRT.
“There is a loophole that exists and guys are taking advantage of it,” Trigg said. “Guys are going to take advantage of whatever they can. If you said to me, ‘Hey, you’ll have to cut off your little finger and your little toe and give up three years of your life, but you’ll win the title and make two successful defenses,’ you know what I would say? ‘At what time tonight do I have to show up for the surgery?’
“We don’t care about the long-term impact or how it’s going to feel 20 years from now. We’re worried about now. And a loophole has been created and, absolutely, guys are taking advantage of it.”
“This is just another way to circumvent the rules,” Conte said of TRT usage in MMA and boxing, which entered the headlines last month when Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Nate Marquardt revealed he had fought three times while on testosterone replacement therapy. “That’s all it is.”
Former UFC welterweight contender Frank Trigg said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports that fighters will test boundaries in order to gain some sort of advantage. And he believes that’s exactly what is happening with the increasing number of fighters seeking therapeutic-use exemptions for TRT.
“There is a loophole that exists and guys are taking advantage of it,” Trigg said. “Guys are going to take advantage of whatever they can. If you said to me, ‘Hey, you’ll have to cut off your little finger and your little toe and give up three years of your life, but you’ll win the title and make two successful defenses,’ you know what I would say? ‘At what time tonight do I have to show up for the surgery?’
“We don’t care about the long-term impact or how it’s going to feel 20 years from now. We’re worried about now. And a loophole has been created and, absolutely, guys are taking advantage of it.”
India's doping shame leads to crackdown on pharmacys selling steroids.
After TIMES NOW expose the doping scandal, Punjab Government is expected to crack the whip on guilty chemists. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Wednesday (July 6) said the licences of guilty chemists will be cancelled and raids will be conducted to crackdown on other chemists.
Speaking to reporters about the issue Badal today said, "Action will be taken against the chemists who are selling banned drugs without prescription. A criminal case will be filed against such chemists."
The Deputy Chief Minister's reacting comes a day after a TIMES NOW expose on how drugs are available to athletes near a Patiala training centre over the counter.
Even a week after the biggest doping scandal has broken, no one is raising questions about these "strategically-situated" stores, indicating that officialdom doesn't really believe that dope and sports don't mix.
In Patiala , schedule H steroid Stanolozol was still being openly sold for as cheap as Rs 30 for a strip of 10 capsules. All you have to do is ask for it by its brand name, Neurabol. Schedule H drugs, by law, can't be bought without a prescription.
"We have been selling it for many years. There has never been a complaint," assures the salesman at Preet Medical Store, a chemist near Sewa Singh Thikriwala Statue, the commercial district next door to NIS.
He goes on to say, "Ek baar use kar ke dekho... aap baar baar aaoge hamare paas (use it once, you'll come to us again and again)."
Mandeep Kaur, who tested positive, blamed contaminated food supplements from these chemists.
But while Mandeep merely mentioned food supplements, what was discovered was the sheer ease with which steroids could be obtained. A Nandrolone-Decanoate injection, under the brand name of Deca Durabolin (1 ml), is available for Rs 177 along with a valid bill.
Once he gets the drift, the chemist instead of asking for a prescription or even a casual informal query, proudly spreads out the fare, displaying performance-enhancing drugs one after the other on his counter. Each new exhibit offers better results than the previous one.
You don't need a prescription, nor are eyebrows raised when you purchase banned steroids over the counter right at the doorstep of India's premier sports training institute. And if you ask for a receipt, you'll get it.
Even a week after the biggest doping scandal has broken, no one is raising questions about these "strategically-situated" stores, indicating that officialdom doesn't really believe that dope and sports don't mix.
When TOI reached Patiala on Tuesday, schedule H steroid Stanolozol was still being openly sold for as cheap as Rs 30 for a strip of 10 capsules. All you have to do is ask for it by its brand name, Neurabol. Schedule H drugs, by law, can't be bought without a prescription.
"We have been selling it for many years. There has never been a complaint," assures the salesman at Preet Medical Store, a chemist near Sewa Singh Thikriwala Statue, the commercial district next door to NIS.
He goes on to say, "Ek baar use kar ke dekho... aap baar baar aaoge hamare paas (use it once, you'll come to us again and again)."
Mandeep Kaur, who tested positive, blamed contaminated food supplements from these chemists.
But while Mandeep merely mentioned food supplements, what TOI discovered was the sheer ease with which steroids could be obtained. A Nandrolone-Decanoate injection, under the brand name of Deca Durabolin (1 ml), is available for Rs 177 along with a valid bill.
Once he gets the drift, the chemist instead of asking for a prescription or even a casual informal query, proudly spreads out the fare, displaying performance-enhancing drugs one after the other on his counter. Each new exhibit offers better results than the previous one.
When asked for Menabol (containing Stanozolol), Jai Maa Medicos, plying their trade on Lower Mall Patiala, even suggests an alternative - Neurabol for better results. "Athletes and sportspersons prefer Neurabol over Menabol. Though they are one and the same thing, Neurabol is the preferred drug," he says, seemingly oblivious to the storm kicked up by doping.
In Patiala's upmarket area near Rajindra Hospital, some chemists were more circumspect when TOI came looking to purchase over-the-counter steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.
But in and around NIS, it is clear an athlete on the lookout for his or her dope fix doesn't have to cross too many hurdles.
GlaxoSmithKline signs deal with sport's World Anti-Doping Agency
GlaxoSmithKline has signed a deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency to help scientists develop early detection methods for drugs that have performance-enhancing potential in sport.
The British drugmaker will supply WADA with confidential information about medicines in early stage development that may be abused by athletes once licensed, under the deal announced on Monday and which covers all new drugs being developed by GSK.
Sports including cycling and athletics have been plagued in recent years by top-level athletes abusing banned substances -- including the blood booster EPO, human growth hormone and testosterone -- and using blood transfusions to increase red blood cell mass to improve oxygen supply to the muscles.
"There is always the potential for the illegitimate use of medicines by a minority of athletes seeking advantage in sport," GSK said, adding it would review all drugs to identify substances with a probable or high risk of abuse in sport.
"Scientists will look for any similarity to the pharmacological characteristics of existing performance-enhancing substances and assess how they work in the human body," the company said.
"This would include stimulatory effects or improved physical endurance."
Any new drugs found to have performance-enhancing potential would then be highlighted to WADA, and confidential scientific data relating to them would be transferred by GSK so anti-doping experts can begin work on detection methods.
Efforts to improve and formalise ways of sharing sensitive information with WADA have been under way across the drug industry since the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) -- which includes 25 leading pharmaceuticals firms including GSK, Merck & Co and Eli Lilly and Co -- signed a joint declaration with WADA in July last year.
"Our work with the pharmaceutical industry is critical to staying one step ahead of the dopers, who have an ever increasing level of scientific expertise," said John Fahey, WADA's president, who welcomed the GSK agreement.
GSK has already agreed to provide lab-testing services and equipment for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Britain's Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson, said in March he viewed doping as the most serious threat to the integrity of London 2012.
The British drugmaker will supply WADA with confidential information about medicines in early stage development that may be abused by athletes once licensed, under the deal announced on Monday and which covers all new drugs being developed by GSK.
Sports including cycling and athletics have been plagued in recent years by top-level athletes abusing banned substances -- including the blood booster EPO, human growth hormone and testosterone -- and using blood transfusions to increase red blood cell mass to improve oxygen supply to the muscles.
"There is always the potential for the illegitimate use of medicines by a minority of athletes seeking advantage in sport," GSK said, adding it would review all drugs to identify substances with a probable or high risk of abuse in sport.
"Scientists will look for any similarity to the pharmacological characteristics of existing performance-enhancing substances and assess how they work in the human body," the company said.
"This would include stimulatory effects or improved physical endurance."
Any new drugs found to have performance-enhancing potential would then be highlighted to WADA, and confidential scientific data relating to them would be transferred by GSK so anti-doping experts can begin work on detection methods.
Efforts to improve and formalise ways of sharing sensitive information with WADA have been under way across the drug industry since the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) -- which includes 25 leading pharmaceuticals firms including GSK, Merck & Co and Eli Lilly and Co -- signed a joint declaration with WADA in July last year.
"Our work with the pharmaceutical industry is critical to staying one step ahead of the dopers, who have an ever increasing level of scientific expertise," said John Fahey, WADA's president, who welcomed the GSK agreement.
GSK has already agreed to provide lab-testing services and equipment for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Britain's Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson, said in March he viewed doping as the most serious threat to the integrity of London 2012.
Discovery News story on legalizing PEDs highlights.
So should the use of performance enhancing drugs be legalized and controlled, just like cigarettes, coffee and alcohol? Is it a defensible idea, medically or morally?
Dr. Norman Fost thinks so. For the past two decades, Fost has been arguing for a new look at performance enhancing drugs and the athletes who take them.
athletes
"The present policy of prohibiting drugs is morally incoherent and hypocritical," said Fost, professor of pediatrics, medical history and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin. "From a medical standpoint, it is counterproductive."
Fost argues that athletes already use forms of legal performance enhancement such as sleeping in oxygen-poor "altitude tents" to boost their red blood count that achieve the same results as taking EPO. He says the first step would be to conduct more medical studies about the effects of drugs on the human body in different doses.
While critics often cite the case of bulked-up pro wrestlers who have suffered heart attacks or the gender-bending East German women swim team of the early 1970s, Fost says that there hasn't been enough valid, controlled research to find out what levels are safe.
"Athletes continue to pursue drugs wherever they can get them," Fost said. "Using them without benefit of medical supervision, and without information about whatever their health risks exist will continue to get worse."
Fost also says that many athletes get their steroids or blood-boosters from shady sources -- something that legalization would prevent.
"If you are getting your drugs from Tijuana or from BALCO, you don't know what's in the bottle," said Fost, referring to the acronym for the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the steroid supplier to former Giants'slugger Barry Bonds.
Dr. Norman Fost thinks so. For the past two decades, Fost has been arguing for a new look at performance enhancing drugs and the athletes who take them.
athletes
"The present policy of prohibiting drugs is morally incoherent and hypocritical," said Fost, professor of pediatrics, medical history and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin. "From a medical standpoint, it is counterproductive."
Fost argues that athletes already use forms of legal performance enhancement such as sleeping in oxygen-poor "altitude tents" to boost their red blood count that achieve the same results as taking EPO. He says the first step would be to conduct more medical studies about the effects of drugs on the human body in different doses.
While critics often cite the case of bulked-up pro wrestlers who have suffered heart attacks or the gender-bending East German women swim team of the early 1970s, Fost says that there hasn't been enough valid, controlled research to find out what levels are safe.
"Athletes continue to pursue drugs wherever they can get them," Fost said. "Using them without benefit of medical supervision, and without information about whatever their health risks exist will continue to get worse."
Fost also says that many athletes get their steroids or blood-boosters from shady sources -- something that legalization would prevent.
"If you are getting your drugs from Tijuana or from BALCO, you don't know what's in the bottle," said Fost, referring to the acronym for the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the steroid supplier to former Giants'slugger Barry Bonds.
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