Major League Baseball, Football Support HGH Test

The National Football League and Major League Baseball are prepared to begin testing for human growth hormone, while players' unions want more scientific validation.

"Our position is that testing for HGH has advanced to the point that we are taking steps to incorporate it into our program," Greg Aiello, senior vice president of the NFL, said in an e-mail.

British rugby league player Terry Newton on Feb. 19 became the first athlete to be sanctioned for using HGH. Newton accepted a two-year ban from the British Anti-Doping authority after choosing not to contest a positive test result for HGH.

"This first completed case involving an analytical finding for HGH is a positive step in the global fight against doping in sport," World Anti-Doping Agency Director General David Howman said. "It sends a strong message to those athletes who take the risk to misuse HGH that we will ultimately catch them."

HGH is considered a performance-enhancing drug because of its ability to grow muscle and aid recovery after training, while not being detectable in urine, unlike anabolic steroids.

Baseball player Mark McGwire admitted using HGH for healing while pitcher Andy Pettitte told a U.S. congressional committee that he and Roger Clemens both used the substance. Clemens has denied the allegation.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig told Congress on Jan. 15, 2008, that baseball would begin checking "when a valid, commercially available and practical test for HGH becomes a reality -- regardless of whether the test is based on blood or urine."

"The commissioner remains committed to the position that we must act aggressively to deal with the issue of HGH," baseball said in a statement. "We are consulting with our experts concerning immediate steps for our minor league drug program and next steps for our major league drug program."

Blood tests for HGH have been used in the Olympics since 2004. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is funding research for a urine test that will detect the hormone.

The Major League Baseball Players Association said its drug program negotiated with the league prohibits blood testing because of its invasive nature.

"We do not test currently for HGH because no scientifically validated urine test exists," the union said in a statement. "Blood testing raises serious issues not associated with urine testing. Nonetheless, the association has previously said that, if a scientifically validated blood test for HGH was available, we would consider it."

Testing indicates that HGH can be detected only within 36 hours of its use, the union said. While a positive result was produced in Britain, the association said "an uncontested positive does not scientifically validate a drug test."

The NFL Players Association said it's willing to discuss the implementation of a reliable blood test during meetings about a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL, which last month proposed the use of blood tests to check for HGH.

"We have and will continue to work with the NFL to build a system that is fair, reliable and maintains the integrity of our game and the health and safety of our players," Stacy Robinson, the union's director of player development, said in a statement.