For tested athletes
A prescription does not cancel sport rules
Medical approval and anti-doping permission are different systems.
Checklist
Questions for a tested athlete
Ask before treatment starts, not after a test.
Which rules apply?
Check the athlete’s league, event, school, team, or national body.
Is an exemption possible?
A person who needs a banned medicine for an illness can apply for a therapeutic use exemption, which is written permission from the sport body.
When must it be approved?
The timing can depend on whether the athlete is on a list for regular drug testing, and on which sport body sets the rules.
Who keeps the record?
Keep the prescription reason, application, decision, and dates together.
A prescription alone does not grant an anti-doping exemption.
Read next
Start with the rule makers
These links explain the global list and the US exemption route.
- World anti-doping prohibited list
Tesamorelin appears in the growth-hormone-releasing group.
- US therapeutic use exemption guide
Use the governing body’s process for a personal case.