ESC Medication Reports
PALMETTO, FLA – Medication reports are documentation tools primarily for the benefit of the agent and the horse being medicated. You are never wrong to submit a Medication Report. When there is an adverse result from a drug test and a Medication Report has been filed, it establishes the diagnosis, medication, time, and date administered, as well as the route and strength. Significant weight is added to a Medication Report when it is filed by a licensed veterinarian and provides evidence of professional veterinary administration.
Medication Report | ESC Controlled Medications
Clinical Efficacy Approach – ESC’s approach to medication use and reporting is based on clinical efficacy and performance-enhancing values. For 99% of all medications, if it is no longer detectable in the blood, there is no potency remaining. A Medication Report is generally needed when there is potential for remaining efficacy of a performance-enhancing substance. Once medications clear the blood, they may be detectable in the urine for days or months, or in the hair for up to a year, while adding no efficacy value to the horse.
Calculating Efficacy & Withdraw – Licensed veterinarians may establish withdraw times that best compliments the health of the horse and medication given assuming there is no performance enhancing effect. ESC recommends using the plasma half life formula of (t 1/2 x 5) which is the plasma half life x 5 more half lives. The resulting number is the withdraw time needed to eliminate 94% of efficacy. Additional time may be needed to accommodate additional medications, hydration, rest and overall health of the horse. A veterinarian calculated withdraw may be used over an ESC published withdraw with a vet submitted Medication Report.
Avoiding Severe Contraindications – Severe contraindications generally occur when two or more medications from the same drug type or category are combined, thereby increasing the potency and side effects of each medication. When two or more NSAIDs, corticosteroids, sedatives, tranquilizers, antihistamines, or decongestants are paired, performance-enhancing effects can emerge and/or severe stress and damage to the horse’s organs can occur, which can result in death. It is strictly prohibited for any substance to be combined to enhance potency or mask detection of another medication.
State Required Med Reports – In the states of California and Florida, veterinarians are deployed by the state for drug testing at horse shows, and a Medication Report is required for any substance that is not naturally occurring within the horse’s system. Every state considers even basic NSAIDs a controlled medication that must be diagnosed, prescribed, and have its administration controlled by a licensed state veterinarian. “Prescribed” means the individual name, date, dosing, and expiration of the medication must be documented and available. Furthermore, within state veterinary practice laws, there is a requirement for an established Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR), which is established at the farm level and for the individual horse depending on the medications prescribed.
MED REPORTS REQUIRED – At any ESC-sanctioned event, a horse may be selected for drug testing when animal welfare is a concern. When horse shows elect for ESC drug testing, Medication Reports are required to be submitted by the following individuals with these circumstances:
- Agent – When ESC-recommended withdrawal times are 24 hours or greater
- Vet – When withdraw times exceed 50 hours
- Vet – Any Class B or Class C medication
- Vet – Any use of a potentially or performance enhancing substance
- Vet – When your veterinarian changes the withdrawal time versus the ESC recommendation
- Vet – When two or more medications are combined
- Vet – When switching between medications with severe contraindications
- Vet – When using medications outside of the ESC Controlled Medication guidelines
Medication Reports are required for every medication in the states of CA and FL.
MED REPORTS NOT REQUIRED – For any Class A therapeutic, singular-use medication where the ESC-published withdrawal time is less than 24 hours. For example, you may use Equioxx at full strength with no withdrawal time and no Medication Report. If you combine Equioxx with acetaminophen (Tylenol), no withdrawal time is required, but you must submit a Medication Report. Reports are not needed for EMP – Electro Magnetic Pulse, Shockwave therapy, ERT – Equine Regenerative Therapies such as Prostride, Centrate and centrifuge, gene therapy.
If you cannot locate a medication within the ESC Controlled Medication database, or if you are unsure, submit a Medication Report. You should never give a medication without verifying its performance-enhancing effects. ESC staff and the testing lab are available 24/7 during horse shows undergoing drug testing.
