MLB to Now Test for PE Drugs in Minors
Major League Baseball (MLB) has now taken another step towards eliminating the problem that tainted the sport’s reputation; the use of performance enhancing (PE) drugs.
Commissioner Bud Selig announced that "effective immediately," minor leaguers will now undergo random tests for human growth hormones with the same isomer blood test used in the Olympics.
While some still question the validity of the test, especially in the leadership of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) - Even the NFLPA is against the blood test - Baseball has made a huge step in getting rid of the problem. It has now become the first professional sports league in the U.S. to administer blood testing, even though the league banned the use of human growth hormones (HGH) in 2005.
"I think conceptually, it's a big step," said Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the prohibitive list of the World Anti-Doping Agency. "Of course, minor leaguers are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement, so this is easier to implement."
The union, on the other hand, opposes the test on the major league level and has argued that the test is limited in effectiveness, which is a reason not to put it into practice.
"The union's position on HGH testing remains unchanged," said MLBPA boss Michael Weiner in a statement: "When a test is available that is scientifically validated and that can be administered safely and without interfering with the players' ability to compete, it will be considered. We have been engaged with the Commissioner's Office on this subject for several months, though they have not shared with us the specifics behind their decision to begin blood testing of minor leaguers."
Although drawing a small amount of blood from players does not affect their strength, the blood will be drawn from players’ non-dominant arms for precautionary reasons. All samples will even be collected after games in a "randomly selected non 40-man roster players at select affiliates." The National Center for Drug Free Sport will perform the blood tests, and all samples will be sent to the WADA-certified testing lab in Salt Lake City, Utah.
While some anti-doping experts have applauded baseball for implementing this test, the blood test has always had its doubters since it was first used in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. It has raised scientific and legal questions and many don’t even know if it is even that affective.
Anti-doping pioneer Don Catlin, who founded the UCLA Olympic drug-testing lab, has tried to develop an affective urine test for HGH that both the MLB and NFL can use after receiving a grant from both leagues to research. The grant expired about six months ago and no method was produced for such a test. While Catlin praised baseball's decision, he has always been skeptical of the blood test.
"It's a significant step when pro leagues take on testing for growth hormone. But there are lots of questions about the integrity and efficacy of a blood test, and I share those," said Catlin. "We'll see - it's certainly going to be expensive. What I would like to see is the data, and I raise that question from time to time. After all these years, we're not able to sit down and share data. The problem is, that leads skeptics to say, ‘Well, the data is not good.'"
The idea of these isomer tests is to pass samples through a liquid or solid that has electrically charged atoms. That in turn separates the substances in the sample and creates visual evidence of impurity.
"The isomer test is the only one to be validated," Dr. Gary Green, MLB's medical director said.
MLB has relied on urine-testing, but HGH cannot be found using that method, which presents a problem. Now more athletes prefer to use HGH over steroids because, in addition to building muscle, it allows players to recover from injury quicker.
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