IFPMA Joins WADA in Fight Against Doping

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) has joined together with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) this week to sign a “Joint Declaration on Co-operation in the Fight against Doping in Sport”.

Taking place on 6 July in Lausanne, Switzerland, the declaration signing was by the Director General of WADA, Mr. David Howman, and the President of IFPMA, Mr. Haruo Naito. The declaration aims to facilitate voluntary co-operation between WADA and IFPMA member companies, to identify medicinal compounds with doping potential, minimize misuse of medicines still in development, improve the flow of relevant information and facilitate development of detection methods in the context of the fight against doping in sport.

Mr. Haruo Naito said that IFPMA members recognize that medicines may be misused to enhance sporting performance, thereby creating unfair competition and putting athletes’ health and even lives at risk.

"With pharmaceutical companies working hand-in-hand with WADA, more resources will be brought to bear on the scourge of doping, leading to cleaner sports and healthier athletes," Mr. Haruo Naito said.

On the pharmaceutical industry side, the Declaration was championed by the IFPMA’s Regulatory Policy and Technical Standards (RPTS) Committee. As with pharmaceutical industry positions on other important issues, the Declaration was specifically reviewed and approved by the regional or national pharmaceutical industry associations covering the European Union (EFPIA), Japan (JPMA) and the USA (PhRMA).

WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. Its seat is in Lausanne, Switzerland, and its headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

WADA works towards a vision of the world that values and fosters a doping-free culture in sport.