The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium announced Sept. 21 that it has granted full laboratory accreditation to the University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. The RMTC's board of directors voted unanimously in favor of accreditation at its summer meeting, which was conducted virtually Sept. 13. The UK-EACL is directed by Dr. Scott Stanley.
RMTC laboratory accreditation is earned through a rigorous review process by independent experts of the laboratory's protocols, staffing, and facilities. Candidate laboratories must also perform successfully in analyzing external quality assurance samples.
The UK-EACL joins the eight other RMTC-accredited laboratories, whose testing covers more than 92% of all pari-mutuel races in the United States.
"The RMTC commends Dr. Stanley, his staff, and the University of Kentucky for undertaking the accreditation process and for their ongoing commitment to promoting the safety and integrity of horse racing," said RMTC chairman Alex Waldrop.
"We are proud of this milestone, which attests to the high standards set by Dr. Stanley, and it is gratifying to know this lab is positioned to serve the broader industry in the best way possible," said Dr. Nancy Cox, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in April approved a motion to establish the UK-EACL as the commission's new drug testing laboratory.
