In light of the recent rise in pollen levels, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has today published a useful guide on the anti-doping status of common hay fever medications.
Many over-the-counter products containing the ingredients listed below are permitted medications. However, several medical treatments for hay fever appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List as being prohibited in-competition.
Therefore, UKAD reminds athletes to check the status of their medications using the Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) website.
Permitted hay fever medications:
- Antihistamine tablets (acrivastine, cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine)
- Eye drops (sodium cromoglicate)
- Nasal sprays and drops
- Glucocorticoid nasal sprays (beclometasone, betamethasone, budesonide, fluticasone)
- Antihistamine nasal spray (azelastine)
- Nasal drops (xylometazoline)
Hay fever medications prohibited in-competition:
- Intramuscular triamcinolone injection – refer to the UKAD hay fever guidelines
- Prednisolone tablets – requires a TUE, contact UKAD
- Decongestant tablets containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) – refer to the Prohibited List Q&A section of the WADA website
If you can’t find what you are looking for on Global DRO, you can contact UKAD with your enquiry on [email protected].