WADA RELEASES UPDATED GUIDELINES TO COMPLEMENT THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTIONS

Dear Colleagues,

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) releases updated Guidelines for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) to support Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) and other stakeholders in their implementation and application of the revised International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE), which comes into force on 1 January 2021.

The new ISTUE Guidelines provide detailed information and examples for athletes, ADOs, physicians and Athlete Support Personnel to guide them when a TUE may be required to use a Prohibited Substance or Method due to an illness or a medical condition. These Guidelines have been updated in accordance with the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and ISTUE. While the Guidelines are initially being published in English, the official French version will be published in early 2021.

The Guidelines can be found on WADA’s website and on the Agency’s Anti-Doping eLearning Platform (ADEL), as part of the Code Implementation Support Program (CISP), which provides additional resources to support the implementation of the ISTUE, as well as the revised Code and other International Standards that enter into force on 1 January 2021.

WADA guidelines provide Code Signatories with recommended practices for several aspects of anti-doping programs. While these guidelines are not mandatory, they offer technical guidance to ADOs in the implementation of their anti-doping programs. As with all guidelines under the World Anti-Doping Program, they are subject to ongoing review.

Should you have any questions regarding the Guidelines for Therapeutic Use Exemptions, or wish to provide feedback, please contact WADA’s Medical Unit at: medical@wada-ama.org.

Best regards,

World Anti-Doping Agency