Singapore, March 31, 2008: The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) independent Medical Commission has included Australian firm Pharmaxis’ aridol (mannitol) as an approved test for asthma in athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics.

 

The IOC Medical Commission found no evidence that the commonly used asthma treatments known as beta-2 agonists conferred any performance enhancing effect, but they were concerned those athletes were diagnosed correctly and received the most appropriate therapy.

 

In the consensus statement, the commission recommends that in diagnosing asthma in Olympians, a bronchial provocation test (such as aridol) be used to establish the presence of airway hyperresponsiveness.

 

Aridol has been approved in Australia, several European countries and in some Asian countries. Aridol is recommended in the World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines for testing athletes requesting to use asthma medication.

 

The prevalence of asthma in athletes has grown exponentially in recent years, rising from 9 percent in 1988 to 21 percent of all athletes at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.