The United States Trotting Association (USTA), which in late September dropped out of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and rejected model medication rules approved by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI), has created its own Medication Advisory Committee. 

The USTA, in a Nov. 7 announcement, said it seeks to "develop comprehensive proposals on the use of therapeutic medications and recommended penalties for violations in harness racing." The breed registry for Standardbreds has said the uniform national model rules for equine medication shouldn’t be the same for Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds for several reasons, including length of time between races.

The drug committee was appointed by USTA President Phil Langley.

"Recognizing that some of the fault was that the USTA lacked sufficient scientific representation on the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, I have appointed a widely representative advisory committee to guide us in future medication proposals," Langley said in a release