AFL says chief medico Peter Harcourt did not approve use of wonder jabs

AFL Legend Malcolm Blight is staggered by revelations up to 50 players could be using a breakthrough pain medication despite the league saying its chief medical officer had not given the drug the tick of approval.

Up to 50 AFL players have been injected with a breakthrough pain treatment.

AFL Legend Malcolm Blight has voiced his concern about the use of a breakthrough pain treatment which the league says it has not approved.

Blight, who forged a stunning playing career before coaching Adelaide to back-to-back premierships, today spoke after a Herald Sun report detailing the use of the new drug by seven AFL clubs.

The drug, being accessed by AFL players under the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s “special access scheme”, is used to combat osteoarthritis and help players recover from injury.

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Speaking on Melbourne radio, Blight said he believed fans would hear more in coming weeks unless there was greater clarity over the drug’s status.

He was also staggered by reports up to 50 AFL players might have used the drug.

“I’ve never heard, in 50 years, where the AFL have been involved or anyone in the AFL has been involved in trials with drugs,” Blight said on SEN.

“They are well and truly run, won and done prior to any other time, any other country.

“They’re certainly not to use as lab rats on AFL players ... that’s the way it reads, and if that’s the case I should think there’s going to be a fair bit of noise about this.

“I just couldn’t imagine we’d be trailing stuff on guys you’re paying $1.2, $1.3 million.

“And I know you (could say) ‘where do you trial it?’ Well, you trial it elsewhere.”

Malcolm Blight isn’t sure about a new ‘miracle drug’. Picture: Matt Turner.

The AFL last night distanced itself from the drug but the league confirmed its top medico had told the company behind the drug that it was not a banned substance.

Melbourne company Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals maintained that doctors at seven AFL clubs had been given approval to use pentosan polysulfate sodium by league chief medical officer doctor Peter Harcourt.

The company’s chief executive Paul Rennie today rejected Blight’s comments, telling SEN:

“I don’t like Malcolm’s terminology ... this is not ad hoc, experimental. This is proper clinical practice.

“I think the AFL have created an absolute storm because of semantics.

“We don’t just say ‘here, go and use this drug’.”

Rennie said the league “categorically” knew of the drug’s use among players.

Last night the AFL insisted Dr Harcourt had not approved the drug.

“Dr Peter Harcourt did not approve this medication,” an AFL spokesman said.

“The medical director of the AFL was asked whether the substance was prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List and he stated that it is not listed on that list.

“It is a misrepresentation of the role and the views of the AFL medical director to say that he approved this medication.”

Paradigm BioPharmaceuticals chief executive Paul Rennie. Picture: Aaron Francis

Rennie said Dr Harcourt had sent an email in 2015 saying as long as the substance was not on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list it was up to club doctors whether they used it on players.

“Before we went anywhere near the first player the club doctor involved ran it past Dr Peter Harcourt as a final check and there were no objections,” Rennie said.

Rennie said he spoke to Harcourt on the phone late yesterday.

“I called him to reconfirm that the issue of using pentosan polysulfate sodium was discussed in 2015,” he said.

“Dr Harcourt confirmed that the drug was not on any list of banned substances for use in elite athletes.

“He further confirmed that use of the drug on AFL players was a decision of the club doctor.”

Pentosan polysulfate sodium has been used for decades to treat blood clots and painful bladder syndrome in women but only recently emerged as a treatment option for osteoarthritis.

It is not registered for use in Australia but is being accessed by AFL players under the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s “special access scheme”.

The drug has been injected into injured players twice a week for six weeks, including an interstate superstar battling complications from a knee injury.

The drug is also being used as part of a phase two clinical trial, not involving AFL players.

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