By: Frank Angst
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium has sent Truesdail Laboratories a report listing recommended changes following problems at the lab outlined in a July report by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission.
Based on its quality assurance program, the IHRC said Truesdail missed seven positives, including a Class I drug, in just 26 days this spring while handling drug tests for the state. The California-based lab is accredited by the industry’s RMTC, which began a review of that accreditation following the Indiana report.
IHRC Report: Truesdail Missed Seven Positives
RMTC executive director Dionne Benson said as part of that review a consultant from Europe examined the Truesdail facility and its protocol during two days in mid-September. His findings were submitted to the RMTC and forwarded to Truesdail.
“There are some recommendations that they make some changes to their current protocols and once they make those changes–respond that they’ve made those changes and show us evidence that they’ve made them–then we can move forward,” Benson said.
The RMTC board is scheduled to meet Oct. 13 and consider the accreditation status of Truesdail.
Truesdail is one of five labs accredited by the RMTC. Under the National Uniform Medication Program, states need to contract with an RMTC-accredited lab to conduct tests.
The IHRC quality assurance program, in which the state had a lab double-check samples that were cleared by Truesdail, is the first of its kind conducted at that level of thoroughness. Indiana fired Truesdail for breach of contract and reached an agreement with Industrial Laboratories in Denver.
Truesdail issued a statement after Indiana’s initial findings saying that it took corrective actions. The lab initially said it would appeal Indiana’s decision to end the contract but the IHRC said the lab did not follow through on that. Truesdail did not immediately respond to Blood-Horse for comment on the RMTC recommendations.
On Sept. 18 Truesdail announced it hired a new chief executive officer, Ed Wilson. Truesdail said Wilson has nearly four decades experience in environmental testing.
“Truesdail is very fortunate to have Ed join as CEO,” said Brian Service, chairman of Truesdail’s board of directors. “His more than 39 years experience in environmental testing and deep knowledge of the industry is expected to enable Truesdail to move confidently forward in the coming years. I am looking forward to working together.”
Wilson said he was very impressed with Truesdail’s new lab in Irvine, Calif. that opened in May.
