Medications

Even common medications can contain ingredients that are banned in sport.

As an athlete, you train hard. Sometimes you may get injured or sick, or you may need to take regular medication for an ongoing condition such as asthma or diabetes. Whatever the situation, it's important to be aware of what you're taking.

To make sure the medication you need is permitted in sport, check it before you take it.

You can look up information about common medications like asthma inhalers, cold and flu treatments or pain medication on our Common medications page.

If your medication isn't on the Common medications page, you can check it on Global DRO (scroll down for some handy instructions).

Check medications on Global DRO

My medication is prohibited

If a medication you need to take for documented medical reasons is banned in sport, you may need a  Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). It's important to understand if you need a TUE before you take the medication, or if you can obtain a TUE retroactively.

Read up on TUEs

Seeing a doctor

Make sure your medical professional knows that you’re an athlete who could be drug tested. Ask for alternatives if a medication you’re prescribed is prohibited. 

Remember, your health comes first. In an emergency, always get the treatment you need. 

Global DRO tells athletes and support teams the status of specific medications (i.e., whether they’re prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition, both, or not prohibited at all). The information in Global DRO is based on the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. 

Supplements not included 

Global DRO doesn’t hold information about supplements, herbal products, traditional medicine or nutritional products. Searches for substances like creatine or ashwagandha will come back empty - and this doesn’t mean they’re safe. If you're an athlete thinking of taking a supplement, please first read our supplement advice.

How to use Global DRO 

• When checking a medication, select the flag that represents the country you bought it from. If you’re a Kiwi searching for products you bought (or were prescribed) here in New Zealand, click the New Zealand flag. 
• Check your spelling matches that of the brand, medication name or medication ingredient that you’re searching for. If you get it wrong, Global DRO may offer some suggestions. 
• Double check that the ingredients listed on your Global DRO search match those on the label of your medication. If they don’t, please notify us immediately. 
• In-competition period: Unless provided otherwise in the rules of an International Federation or the ruling body of the event in question, an In-Competition period is defined as “The period commencing at 11:59 p.m. on the day before a Competition in which the Athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such Competition and the Sample collection process related to such Competition” 

Notes: 

• We don't provide medical advice, treatment plans or recommend medications. 
• We try to make sure that the information supplied is correct and up-to-date, but we’re not responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies. 
  

Ask a question
If you can't find the information you need on Global DRO, please use our Medication query form.

Check a medication on Global DRO