Doctors test new drugs on athletes Some drugs used on athletes have not been cleared for human use. UNETHICAL doctors and pharmacists have been using athletes as human guinea pigs to test growth hormones and other substances that have not been approved for human use, the report into drugs in sport has found. Doctors have also been accused of fraudulently writing scripts in false names to obtain drugs and providing scripts without consulting patients or conducting the necessary blood tests. Compounding pharmacists and anti-ageing clinics have also been implicated in the sophisticated sports doping racket revealed by the Australian Crime Commission yesterday. The report identifies ten human growth hormone preparations, peptides and other substances being used to enhance muscles, bone and joint growth that are implicated in the sports doping scandal. Some are undetectable by drug testers, others can only be detected using extremely complex testing regimes, most are prohibited imports and many have not been approved for use in humans. The new-age substances being used include peptides or peptide hormones, which are a form of amino acids that are absorbed quickly and stimulate the release of growth hormones in the body. They include human growth hormone GHP-2 and GHRP-6 - thought to increase bone mineral density, lean muscle mass, and improved strength. A substance called CJC-1295 initially developed to treat growth disorders and muscle wasting diseases is being used to increase lean muscle mass, reduce fat, improve performance, help reduce pain and swelling, and repair tissue when athletes are injured. An experimental growth hormone called Anti Obesity Drug number 9604 is also being used on athletes to burn fat and increase power to weight ratios. The body that regulates medical and health practitioners, the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency, said yesterday it would be very concerned about any practitioner who provided care or treatment that was not clinically justified or who did not put their patients' needs first. "If anyone has concerns about any individual registered practitioner, they should bring these to the attention of the Boards, through AHPRA," a spokeswoman for the regulator said. The boards have the power to restrict a practitioner's registration or they can refer very serious cases to tribunals which have the power to immediately suspend a practitioner's registration ahead of an investigation. Australian Medical Association spokesman Dr Brian Morton said his organisation was not aware of the unethical practices described in the crime commission report but was very disturbed by them. "You're looking at underground activities and whoever is involved, doctors, pharmacists, trainers, coaches have to question their own ethics and morals and professional behaviour," he said. Sports Medicine Australia spokesman Dr Peter Larkin said doctors involved in the unethical practices had to be quickly brought before regulatory bodies. "I think there has to be some follow through or a smear is cast on all professional people who work with athletes," he said. Dr Larkin warned doctors and athletes using banned substances they could have serious adverse consequences. Growth hormones could prompt muscle growth that outgrew the ability of bones and tendons to support it and this could case serious injury to athletes. Some banned substances like EPO thickened the blood and athletes using it risked a stroke. "There have been deaths in sport, these are dangerous products," he said.