• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • News
  • Marketplace
  • Events
  • Education
  • Interviews
    • Career spotlight
  • Opinion
    • Professional Dilemmas
    • Patient perspective
  • PIPcast
  • Jobs

Pharmacy in Practice

EDX/20/1154
Date of prep: December 2020

Prescribing information and
adverse events reporting

For healthcare professionals only

Rugby player banned after prednisolone dispensed in error

21st April 2020 by PIP editor Leave a Comment

 

Irish professional rugby player James Cronin has admitted to ‘entirely unintentional’ anti-doping offences after as part of an investigation by the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). Cronin took a number of doses of Prednesol 5mg (prednisolone) after having received it due to a dispensing error at his local pharmacy.

 

According to the investigation Cronin had been prescribed amoxicillin. This prescription had been emailed to the pharmacy where it was to be dispensed. The team doctor had indicated to Cronin that he had prescribed antibiotics but did not inform him of which antibiotic that he had prescribed. He did say that he had prescribed ‘antibiotics only’.

 

When Cronin went to collect the medicine at the pharmacy he was actually dispensed two medications, Germentin and Prednesol 5mg. Unfortunately, the Prednesol 5mg had actually been intended for another patient of the pharmacy but Cronin received it by mistake. The name ‘James Cronin’ name was on the medication labels.

 

Cronin followed the instructions on the medication labels and took 25mg of the Prednesol the day before the doping test and a further 20mg of Prednesol on the morning of the doping test.

 

He tested positive later that day for the banned substance prednisolone. After mitigation was considered Cronin avoided the standard two-year ban for intentional use of this type of banned substance and instead received a one month ban.

 

Whilst the investigation recognised that the error was not entirely his fault they did say that it was appropriate that he carries some responsibility for what had happened.

 

In a statement issued by the EPCR they said the following:

 

“Prior to the match against Racing 92, Cronin had been unwell and had been prescribed antibiotics, however, the pharmacy dispensed medication to him which was intended for another customer.

 

“On 23 November 2019, Cronin tested positive for prednisolone and prednisone which are banned substances under Section 9 of the 2019 WADA Prohibited List. Cronin had no Therapeutic Use Exemption permitting the use of prednisolone and prednisone.

 

“The Judicial Officer accepted evidence that the banned substances in the player’s sample were due to a dispensing error by the pharmacy and that the anti-doping violation was entirely unintentional.

 

“An independent Judicial Officer has decided that Cronin, who plays his club rugby for Munster in the Republic of Ireland, will be ineligible for a period of one month due to an unintentional anti-doping violation.

 

“Cronin co-operated fully with a subsequent investigation of the case by EPCR, and the matter was referred for decision to an independent Judicial Officer, Antony Davies (England).

 

“Although the Judicial Officer found that there was no significant fault on behalf of the player and that there were clear and compelling mitigating factors, he determined that the player had to bear some responsibility for what was in his sample.

 

Cronin has the opportunity to appeal the decision.

 

You can read the full determination by clicking here.

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Next article  John McAnaw is new chair of RPS Scottish Pharmacy Board

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Doping, news

About PIP editor

Pharmacy in Practice is a UK pharmacy publication with its roots in Scotland.

Reader Interactions

Begin the discussion right here Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Pharmacy in Practice member login

 
 
Forgot Password

Browse products in PIP Marketplace

© 2021 · About Pharmacy In Practice · Site mantained by Mike

This site is for healthcare professionals, please confirm you are a healthcare professional to continue.

YES

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Pharmacy In Practice uses cookies, by continuing to use this site we will assume you are ok with that Find out more.