EPO By The Numbers in Louisiana

[derby1592]

Louisiana Test results:

Horses tested: 400
EPO Positives: 12
Cost per injection: $200

Based on these numbers and those from Texas and New York, EPO use in not rampant but it certainly does exist. It looks like about 1 in every 33 horses is using it (or about 1 of every 4 races is probably EPO tainted).

My guess is that due to the cost the ratio of EPO users goes up considerably in stakes races although no demographics were given out. My guess is that the ratio of EPO users is probably more like 1 in 10 or higher for stakes races and thus just about every stakes race is tainted. Until they do more extensive testing and tell us who was tested and who was positive it is hard to tell.

Definitely not a pretty picture any way you spin it and remember this is just one of the many drugs out there...

Link to story: http://www.drf2000.com/news/article/44609.html

Chris

[mholbert]

this is from the package insert for procrit:

\"The first evidence of a response to the three times weekly (T.I.W.) administration of PROCRIT is an increase in the reticulocyte count within 10 days, followed by increases in the red cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, usually within 2-6 weeks. Because of the length of time required for erythropoiesis - several days for erythroid progenitors to mature and be released into the circulation - a clinically significant increase in hematocrit is usually not observed in less than 2 weeks and may require up to 6 weeks in some patients.\"

that comes out to $600/week.

[OPM]

That insert is for pt. with anemia or toher factors affecting red cell production.  The dosing will be very different for healthy indiv(horses) and probably 2-3 times per month is all that is needed.

[mholbert]

i would agree - you have to go by the units given (like insulin).  my background is in human, not equine, medicine.  although, just like in human use, there is substantial variability, so you just watch the hct levels.

i will say i\'ve read several studies that put the performance benefit of epo at around 10% in human athletes.  kind of easy to see how someone could move a claim up given 30 days.  just make sure you claim off people that don\'t already use it.