In News:

• In a landmark achievement, India has successfully developed a rare and high-purity Reference Material (RM) – Methandienone Long-Term Metabolite (LTM) for advanced anti-doping testing in sports.
• This development was led by the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati in collaboration with the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), New Delhi, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

What are Reference Materials (RMs)?

• Highly purified, scientifically characterized forms of drug substances or their metabolites.
• Essential for accurate analytical testing and doping control.
• Crucial for detecting over 450 prohibited substances listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
• Globally scarce – only 4–5 manufacturers worldwide produce such materials, making them expensive and difficult to access.

Methandienone Long-Term Metabolite (LTM)

• A specialized RM developed for tracing misuse of anabolic steroid Methandienone.
• LTMs are metabolites that remain detectable in urine long after substance use – enabling identification of athletes even months or years after doping.
• Enhances detection sensitivity and increases the number of positive tests, thus acting as a deterrent.
• Not commercially available globally, making India’s contribution unique.

Significance for India and the World

• Strengthening Anti-Doping Efforts: Supports WADA’s global mission of transparency, fairness, and integrity in sports.
• Protecting Clean Athletes: Shields honest athletes while discouraging performance-enhancing drug misuse.
• Global Contribution: Methandienone LTM can be shared with 30 WADA-accredited laboratories worldwide, positioning India as a global leader in doping science.
• Self-Reliance in Sports Science: Since 2020, NIPER Guwahati has synthesized 12 out of 22 identified RMs for NDTL, reducing dependency on costly imports.

National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) – Key Facts

• Premier analytical testing and research organization under Government of India.
• Only laboratory in India accredited for human sports dope testing.
• Accredited by:
  • National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL)
  • World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
• Plays a central role in ensuring India’s compliance with international anti-doping standards.