The issue of the use of performance enhancing drugs to improve athletic performance is not new. In the past, many athletes have been caught resorting to the use of performance enhancing drugs. Among these athletes and Olympic winners were Marion Jones, Ben Johnson, Z. Kaczmarek and V. Khristov who were all stripped of their medals after they were caught.
Use of Performance-enhancing Drugs
Athletes are known to take performance-enhancing drugs because they help boost increase strength and stamina. However, studies say that elite athletes are not the only ones drawn to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Recently, there has been a reported increase in the use of performance-enhancing drugs even among the youth. According to a 1988 study, it found that 6.6 of 12th grade students had used or were using anabolic steroids (Adolescents and Anabolic Steroids A Subject Review, 1997, p 905). This represents an estimated number of 250,000 to 500,000 adolescent youths who are into the use of anabolic steroids. This is confirmed by other studies saying that self-reported use of anabolic steroids in adolescents range from 5 to 11 of males and up to 2.5 of females (Adolescents and Anabolic Steroids A Subject Review, 1997, p 905).
Effects of Performance-enhancing Drugs
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) prohibits athletes from using performance enhancing drugs is that it could endanger the life of many athletes. When these drugs are ingested the side effects could be fatal for any athletes. There are so many athletes in the past who died because of use of performance-enhancing drugs. These athletes were Arthur Linton, Thomas Hicks, Dorando Pietri, K. Jensen and Tom Simpson.
Ethical Issue on the Use of Performance-enhancing Drugs
Performance-enhancing drugs could not be bought over-the-counter without a prescription from the physicians. Physicians therefore play an important role in the increase of the number of athletes and even non-athletes taking performance enhancing drugs. While physicians are the primary reasons why athletes and non-athletes are able to gain access to performance-enhancing drugs, the same is due to the fact that it is virtually impossible to prevent athletes from using these drugs. In fact, it is not the role of physicians to prevent athletes from taking performance-enhancing drugs. Common sense dictates that if physicians will prevent athletes from taking drugs the natural reaction for these athletes is to purchase these products in the black market where they could have access to a variety of undetectable but unsafe drugs. Physicians should instead regulate the use of performance-enhancing drugs instead of discouraging their patients from coming to them to seek advice. The best approach to this problem is to regulate its use so that the risk of its use may be reduced. First and foremost, the physician can advise the patient to avoid exchanging the same needles in administering performance-enhancing drugs. The physician should also inform the patients of the risk associated in sharing needles which are potential exposure to HIV or AIDS, Hepatitis and other communicable diseases. Second, in determining the right advice to give to the drug users, physicians should first ascertain the type of drug user the patient is.
The use of performance-enhancing drugs among athletes is indeed very dangerous. However, it becomes more dangerous and even fatal when administered without the intervention of a licensed physician. At present, the war against the use of performance enhancing drugs makes the situation far worse for these athletes as they are denied the proper advice by competent physicians who understand the risks involved in the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The most important role of the physician is not to prevent their patients from taking performance-enhancing drugs but advising them on the pros and cons of its use. The patient should always be the one to decide after he has been informed of all the advantages and disadvantages of its use.
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