Representatives from about 20 industry organizations unanimously endorsed a plan to develop a national medication policy during a teleconference Jan. 28. The action followed the first Racehorse Medication Summit, held Dec. 4, 2001, in Tucson, Ariz.

Participants authorized the creation of a veterinary advisory committee that will compile a list of medications regularly used to treat racehorses, and information on dosage, administration, and medical indications.

The group also authorized the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Racing Integrity and Drug Testing Task Force to gather information and existing research on substances that may be considered “contaminants” in testing samples.

Jim Gallagher, executive director of the NTRA task force, said two advisory committees — veterinarians and chemists–will complile information on medication use. The veterinarians will identify medications and their pharmacology, while the chemists will look at how drugs are detected. Gallagher said he expects there will be “an exchange between the two groups