Comments for Consumers
This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
Australian Prescriber is unable to comment on individual cases or give second opinions.
Australian Prescriber Vol. 23 No. 4 2000
Drugs in sport
As sport becomes more competitive some people are tempted to cheat to improve their chances of winning. People who cheat by abusing medicines may be banned from sport if they are caught. They are also risking their health. Some athletes have died because they abused medicines.
To discourage cheating, sports authorities have banned certain medicines. Some medicines are banned in certain sports, but not in others. Athletes need to be careful what they take because some of the banned medicines can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription. Most doctors and pharmacists can advise which drugs are banned.
Many of the medicines used to treat common problems such as asthma or diabetes are banned in sport. Athletes who need treatment with a banned medicine have to get permission before taking the medicine.
