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DRUG USE: Promoted even as penalized
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Published: August 18, 2008
The Olympics are all over the news now, and if the last event in 2004 is any indication, we will see the multiple personalities of our society in action. Television reports will show images of an athlete's performance followed by news of a disqualification because of the use of a banned drug. Next up on the screen will be an advertisement promoting a prescription drug, perhaps even an addictive controlled substance. Here we have the bizarre juxtaposition of penalizing and promoting drug use within a few seconds on television.
The United States and New Zealand are the only two developed countries in the world that allow the promotion of drugs directly to consumers (DTC) that are available only on a physician's prescription. Studies have shown that for each dollar the drug companies spend on such advertising, they get from $2 to $4 in sales. In 2007, more than $5 billion was spent on these DTC ads. There have been reports that manufacturers are pressing a lobbying campaign to legalize DTC advertising in Canada and Europe.
During the 2004 Olympic Games, there were many instances of DTC television advertising, including ads for Ambien, a sedative and a controlled substance listed in Schedule IV.
Sen. George Mitchell verified the extent and seriousness of the problem of drugs in sports in his report on the use of steroids and other drugs in major-league baseball.
Irregular drug use by athletes isn't limited to the United States, of course. At last count, 37 athletes worldwide heading for the Olympics this year have been disqualified for using banned substances. This included 11 members of the Greek weightlifting team and, as a consequence, their coach. The Olympic drug czar Arne Ljungquist has also accused Russia of systematically doping by switching the urine samples of seven female athletes, five of whom were on the Olympic squad.
Just determining which drugs are banned can be a challenge. The list runs to more than 100 entities from the following categories: androgenic agents, hormones, stimulants, diuretics and masking agents, narcotics and marijuana, glucocorticoids and beta blockers. This is a personal thing, I guess, but I cannot imagine how marijuana could improve an athletic performance.
The athletes who use drugs try to stay one step ahead of the testing procedures by adjusting doses, trying new substances or finding other ways to fool analytical procedures. This can be similar to a game of dodge ball between the testers and the athletes, with rules and maneuvers constantly changing.
Some performers can inadvertently get a banned substance from dietary supplement products, for which complete labeling of contents is not required.
Until recently, one of the favorite performance enhancers was erythropoietin (EPO), a protein that adds more oxygen to blood, thereby increasing endurance. This also thickens the blood and can induce a heart attack from an overworked heart muscle. Test procedures for EPO are now much more accurate.
Testing for drugs may not be the answer in the near future, with the advent of gene therapy. This could bring a whole new dimension to sports that require strength and stamina.
We need to remember that many of these Olympic participants are young; some are still adolescent teenagers, inspired and ambitious. Who knows? This may be their best chance to excel in life. Expecting them to make good choices may be unrealistic, particularly if they believe their competition is using performance enhancers.
But one thing is certain in my mind, and that is that we certainly do not need the promotion of more drug use, particularly during the Olympics. I believe that using television to encourage the use of prescription drugs, even though it may be legal, is irresponsible. Broadcast media need to use restraint in this area. My mother used to say that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.
■ David Work is the executive director emeritus of The N.C. Board of Pharmacy.
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