Anti-doping agency warns athletes of black market drug

DRUG cheats watch out. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has taken the rare step of issuing a warning to athletes after discovering abuse of a black market drug that causes multiple cancers in rodents.

The drug, called GW501516, was originally developed by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to stimulate muscles to burn fats instead of sugars, in order to raise levels of “good” cholesterol. But the company abandoned further development in 2006 after tests on rats showed that at all doses, the drug rapidly causes cancers in a multitude of organs, including the liver, bladder, stomach, skin, thyroid, tongue, testes, ovaries and womb. “GSK does not manufacture it or authorise its sale,” says a company spokesman.

In 2009, GSK warned WADA of the potential risks of abuse of the drug, and the agency added the drug to its list of prohibited substances that year.

The drug is openly promoted on websites for bodybuilders and athletes.

This article appeared in print under the headline “Drug alert issued”