By Tom LaMarra
Legislation governing equine medication policy is scheduled to be heard Feb. 18 by the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee.
Introduced by Republican Sen. Jack Latvala, the bill would bring Florida racing in line with the National Uniform Medication Program. The effort by Florida stakeholders to update equine medication regulations began in earnest in 2014.
The bill calls for adoption of the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule, which establishes conditions of use and maximum concentrations for commonly used therapeutic drugs approved the Association of Racing Commissioners International. There currently are 26 substances on the list.
The legislation includes a provision for the RCI drug classification system and its related penalties.
Furosemide, the anti-bleeding medication also known as Salix or Lasix, would be the only medication permitted within 24 hours of a race but not within four hours of a race, according to the legislation. The language removes permission to use prednisolone sodium succinate, a synthetic corticosteroid sold as Solu-Delta-Cortef, on race day.
Finally, the bill requires the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to require its laboratory and any independent labs to participate in an external quality assurance program designed to assess testing proficiency.
