Sale of nandrolone products to be banned

A British Government agency is to order the withdrawal from sale of all supplements containing nandrolone, the anabolic steroid at the centre of dozens of positive drug tests in sport.

A British Government agency is to order the withdrawal from sale of all supplements containing nandrolone, the anabolic steroid at the centre of dozens of positive drug tests in sport.

In Britain alone, 24 competitors from 10 different sports tested positive for the steroid in 1999-2000, with most, including the 1992 Olympic 100 metres gold medallist, Linford Christie, protesting their innocence.

Many said they had only used legitimate supplements bought either over the counter at health food stores or by mail order. While many such supplements do not contain banned substances, there is a rapidly growing market for products that include nandrolone precursors - chemicals that, when consumed, are converted by the body into nandrolone and which have the same medical effect as the steroid.

Sales of such products through one manufacturer are estimated to be worth more than £5m a year.

Britain's Medicine Control Agency is now to issue notices to manufacturers in the new year ordering the products to be removed from sale, under provisions of the Medicines Act 1968.

"As far as we are concerned, nandrolone and its precursors are medicinal products and need to be licensed as such," said Jane Cole, a senior official with the agency. "Our role is to act for the safety of the public and public health. After receiving a complaint, we have been reviewing all products containing nandrolone and related substances. We are talking about 20 manufacturers and around 50 different products here.

"We will be writing to the manufacturers in the new year, and the chances are, since the products are to be licensed for the first time, they will become prescription-only medicines."

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