The Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council (KEDRC), citing its statutory mission, will be involved in the horse racing debate over race-day medication, officials said May 25.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), to which the KEDRC makes recommendations, recently formed a committee to study the issue. Various groups have weighed in since the outgoing and incoming chairmen of the Association of Racing Commissioners International called for a ban on race-day drugs.

In most North American jurisdictions, even therapeutic medications are banned on race day. Thus, the debate has come down to anti-bleeding drugs such as furosemide (Salix), which is used in most Thoroughbreds for racing.

"The (KHRC) committee will be looking at every aspect of this," said Jerry Yon, MD, KEDRC chairman and a member of the racing commission. "We’ve just got to get all our homework done and then bring it back to the drug council