Enhanced collaboration between anti-doping agency and big pharma bolsters support for clean sport among athletes
On 3 April 2024 in Athens, the International Federationof Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) signed a joint letter of intent.
Sport has the power to change lives for the better, to build bridges across communities and countries, to provide entertainment and to promote good mental health and physical wellbeing. The taking of substances to artificially enhance performance rather than for their intended therapeutical use is unacceptable.
The role of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in sport is to lead a collaborative worldwide movement towards doping-free sport. It includes sports federations, governments, athletes, scientists, policy makers, legal experts and a host of other key stakeholders to ensure a level playing field for athletes and to protect all concerned from the reputational and physical damage caused by drugs in sport. One of those important stakeholders in achieving health for all is the research based pharmaceutical industry.
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the industry body in official relations with the United Nations, supports the appropriate and safe use of medicines.
WADA and the IFPMA will continue to collaborate to deliver clean sport for athletes, through shared objectives, including:
- Regular information exchanges on innovative pharmaceutical substances that have doping potential to ensure early development and availability of tests;
- The ongoing strengthening of the Therapeutic Use Exemption program (TUE) to make sure it remains effective and robust, so that only athletes who have a legitimate medical condition requiring a medication or treatment that is on the prohibited list, can apply for it.
- By collaborating to tackle falsified medicinal products;
- By joining their voices to advocate publicly against doping, in instances such as the International Conferences on the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Fight Against Doping; and
- By identifying opportunities to join together to advocate publicly against doping, including during international forums.
For the past 20 years WADA has been responsible for updating the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, which has greatly benefited from multiple bilateral collaborations between research based pharmaceutical companies and WADA. After two decades, the WADA-pharma relationship remains a strong and productive partnership even within this complex and nuanced area of sport science.
The agreements signed by WADA and the IFPMA in 2010 and 2020 are testament to the long-standing commitment to cooperate for the protection of clean sport, and to encourage the reduction of drug misuse in sport and society. Today, the two organizations re-commit to continuing this fruitful collaboration for the good of sport and of all athletes around the world.
a joint statement BY:
About IFPMA
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) represents over 90 innovative pharmaceutical companies and associations around the world. Our industry’s almost three million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that advance global health. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community improve the lives of people everywhere. For more information, visit ifpma.org.
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