If you have a love for the racing industry and an interest in pharmaceuticals, then you may be interested to learn about the AORC. This is the Association of Official Racing Chemists. Back in 1911 in Austria, racing authorities were questioning if some horses were competing under the influence of drugs. This then led to the engagement of a Viennese chemist named Dr. Frankel. This was to determine a method of detection to ascertain if this was so. These procedures then went on a year later to be utilised in France and England.
I know in Australia that horses are tested for drugs randomly at racetracks. It was in 1941 that several racing chemists came together to discuss issues collaboratively. In 1947, this group had expanded and then officially became known as the Association of Official Racing Chemists.
As it states on their site:
“The membership of the AORC consists of individuals, not laboratories, and is limited to those concerned with the detection of drugs in racing animals. The scope of each operation is defined by the drug control measures of the rules of racing in each jurisdiction served. From the inception of the AORC, its membership has been international. As the AORC is a member of the ARCI (Association of Racing Commissioners International), annual meetings are held in conjunction with other industry segments alternating every other year to an international venue.”
The Association of Official Racing Chemists
There are now more than 100 members covering 26 countries around the world. They work to bring quality drug testing to the horse racing industry.
“Drug testing has emerged from its primitive beginnings to become a very precise and sensitive science.”
This association may be of interest to you. Especially if you have a particular interest for the science of pharmaceuticals and want to help keep racing a sport with integrity!
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