Scientists
in Ireland have found a new way to detect the illegal use of drugs and hormones
that cheaters in both agriculture and sports have been known to employ.
A team at
the Irish Equine Centre of Queen’s University at Belfast their new way to test
for illegal drugs is fast, cheap, effective and can be applied on a large
scale.
It could
be used to detect banned growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics . It
detects and monitors the known biological effects of a banned substance, rather
than the presence of the substance itself.
“Current testing
methods focus on detecting the presence of illegal substances in animals. These
tests are expensive, time consuming and have failed to keep pace with black
market developments in producing, distributing and administering banned
substances,” said Dr. Mark Mooney of the university’s Institute for Global Food
Security.
“By
identifying the unique biochemical fingerprints that banned substances leave
behind in an illicitly treated animal’s blood or urine, we will be able to
quickly identify horses or cattle that have been treated with an illegal drug,”
he said.
“Despite
being banned for over 20 years, the use of illegal growth promoters, hormones
and antibiotics is believed to still occur across parts of Europe and further
afield,” said professor Chris Elliott, the institute’s director.
“The
criminal gangs that operate the global trade in illegal animal drugs have
developed the means of avoiding detection by conventional testing methods and
new ways to detect this illicit trade are urgently required.”
One of the
main abuses detected by Canadian officials has been the illegal administration
of clenbuterol to raise veal calves.
