LSU Equine Drug Testing Lab Receives Racehorse Contract Extension

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Medication Surveillance Laboratory (EMSL) has received a three-year extension of its contract with the Louisiana State Racing Commission to provide drug testing of racehorses in the State.
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The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Medication Surveillance Laboratory (EMSL) has received a three-year extension of its contract with the Louisiana State Racing Commission to provide drug testing of racehorses in the State.

Established in 1987, the EMSL performs all equine drug testing for the Louisiana State Racing Commission. The laboratory, one of only 18 of its kind in the United States, tests about 8,000 horses each year, analyzing blood and urine samples for a long list of illegal drugs and other prohibited substances.

In 2007, the national banned-substance standards for the horseracing industry were expanded to include anabolic steroids, and on January 1, 2009, the Louisiana State Racing Commission adopted the national rule, banning all anabolic steroids that do not occur naturally in a horse. In order for the EMSL to be able to perform the expanded range of tests needed, the commission increased their funding to the laboratory to ensure that they have the resources needed to perform the job.

According to Steven Barker, MSc, PhD, director of the EMSL, the new contract extension will almost double the amount of funding the laboratory receives

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