Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency Policy Paper P-005 (PDF Version, 27.6 KB)
Policy Title
Non-Official Equine-Related Samples
Date of Issue
Issued: February 15, 2011
Legislative References
Definitions of "official sample" and "official laboratory" as found under section 2, as well as other related provisions found in Part V "Equine Drug Control Program", of the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations.
National Coding System File Number
3840-4-2
3840-7-5
Effective Date
February 15, 2011
Issue
This policy statement outlines the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency's (CPMA) position regarding the submission of "non-official" equine-related samples for analysis at the CPMA official laboratory (currently, Maxxam Analytics International Corporation - Burnaby, B.C.).
The Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations (herein referred to as the Regulations) do not define the term "non-official sample". However, as found under section 2 of the Regulations, "official sample" means a sample of blood, urine or other bodily substance that is, by means of approved paraphernalia, collected from a horse and packaged and sealed by or under the supervision of a CPMA-designated test inspector.
A non-official sample is any sample that is collected outside of the CPMA Equine Drug Control Program as described under Part V of the Regulations.
Non-official samples may be biological, such as blood, urine or feces, or non-biological, such as a syringe, bottle, feed, leg wrap, tongue tie, etc. A non-official sample may also be a drug formulation in the form of a tablet, capsule, powder, or liquid.
Decision
Only officials representing provincial racing commissions will be permitted to submit non-official samples for analysis at the CPMA Official Laboratory. All samples submitted must first be approved by the CPMA before the official lab will undertake the analysis. The results of the analysis will be delivered to both the CPMA and the provincial racing commission. CPMA and the provincial racing commission will determine if results will be shared beyond CPMA and the regulatory body.
CPMA will not pay for the collection, shipping, or analysis of these samples. All associated costs will be the responsibility of the requester. Non-official samples must be shipped separately from official samples, and must be packaged so as to be discernable from "official samples".
Explanation
Effective identification and screening of non-official samples sent to the CPMA's official lab is essential for ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of the CPMA Equine Drug Control Program.
Provincial Regulatory Bodies find the results from the analysis of non-official samples useful in the investigation of drug-related cases.
Provincial Regulatory Bodies may also undertake separate initiatives (e.g., 'out-of-competition' testing, TCO2 analysis, collection of equine samples from race-courses not serviced by the CPMA, etc.) that advance objectives consistent with those of the CPMA Equine Drug Control Program.
Analysis of equine-related non-official samples may also provide valuable information that aids in CPMA's research and supervision of the national equine drug control program.
CPMA will only allow the analysis of non-official equine-related samples at CPMA's official laboratory when they are submitted and paid for by a provincial regulatory body.