As the sports landscape continues to evolve, so too does the list of prohibited substances and methods in competitive athletics. Staying informed is essential for athletes, coaches, and support staff to maintain compliance and uphold the integrity of sport. With the release of the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, understanding these changes is critical to avoid unintentional violations and safeguard athletic careers. Here’s what you need to know and how sports pharmacy services can play a key role in compliance.
Key Updates to the 2025 WADA Prohibited List
The 2025 WADA Prohibited List, released in October 2024 and effective January 1, 2025, includes important updates to address emerging trends in performance enhancement and maintain fair competition. This annual update gives athletes and support personnel three months to review the changes and apply for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) if necessary. Notable changes include:
Newly Prohibited Substances:
Additions to the prohibited substances list reflect advancements in detecting performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and emerging risks. Specific updates include revised thresholds for certain stimulants and the inclusion of additional hormone and metabolic modulators. Notably, the list now explicitly prohibits substances such as:
- Aromatase Inhibitors: Anastrozole, Letrozole, Exemestane
- Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs): Tamoxifen, Raloxifene, Clomifene
- Other Anti-Estrogenic Substances: Fulvestrant, Ospemifene
Revised Thresholds for Certain Substances: Thresholds for substances such as salbutamol (commonly used in asthma medications) have been adjusted to better distinguish therapeutic use from doping.
Enhanced Focus on Gene Doping: WADA continues to address advancements in genetic manipulation, strengthening measures against gene doping practices.
Clarifications for Supplement Use: The 2025 Monitoring Program, effective January 1, 2025, includes updates to substances being monitored to detect potential patterns of misuse in sport.
This underscores the importance of athletes choosing certified supplements to minimize the risk of accidental doping. Utilizing third-party certified products, such as those tested under the NSF Certified for Sport® program, can help ensure that supplements are free from prohibited substances.
For a full overview of these updates, visit the WADA resource page. Additionally, visit WADA Therapeutic Use Exemption for the Prohibited Substances and Methods list.
How Sports Pharmacy Services Support Compliance
Sports pharmacists and pharmacy professionals specializing in athlete care play an increasingly vital role in promoting clean sport and helping athletes navigate anti-doping regulations. Here’s how they can assist:
- Medication Reviews: Pharmacists can assess prescribed and over-the-counter medications to help athletes comply with the current Prohibited List.
- Education and Counseling: They provide tailored education on clean sports and safe supplement use.
- Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Support: Athletes needing a prohibited substance(s) or method for legitimate medical conditions can work with sports pharmacists to submit TUE application.
- Supplement Recommendations: Pharmacists help athletes choose third-party certified supplements to mitigate risks of inadvertent doping.
- Pre-Competition Preparation: Regular consultations with sports pharmacists ensure athletes are well-prepared and informed ahead of major competitions.
- Travel: Pharmacists play a vital role in helping athletes manage medication adjustments for travel, including addressing jet lag and ensuring compliance with both anti-doping regulations and local laws. Since some countries, such as Japan, strictly prohibit certain substances—including stimulants—even athletes with a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) must adhere to local regulations. Pharmacists can help navigate these restrictions to avoid potential legal and competition-related issues.
Stay Ahead with Continuing Education
Education and awareness are powerful tools in the fight against doping violations. Athletes, coaches, and healthcare professionals are encouraged to participate in events and programs led by anti-doping organizations and sports pharmacy experts. These opportunities provide essential updates on regulations and strategies for ensuring compliance.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) offers the Anti-Doping Education and Learning platform (ADEL), a comprehensive learning hub providing webinars, online courses, guides, checklists, factsheets, and other resources for anti-doping education. ADEL supports athletes, coaches, and support personnel in understanding and implementing clean sport practices.
Access ADEL here: https://adel.wada-ama.org/
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) offers HealthPro Advantage, a free online course designed for health professionals. This course covers key areas of anti-doping knowledge, including:
- Anti-Doping Roles and Responsibilities
- The WADA Prohibited List
- Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
- Dietary Supplements
- The Sample Collection Process
- Major Games Anti-Doping Specific Information
Participants can earn a certificate upon successful completion of the course modules, tests, and evaluation.
Access HealthPro Advantage here: https://www.usada.org/resources/healthpro/
One such event is the Clinical Sports Pharmacy Summit in April 2025. This summit will focus on advancing clinical excellence in athlete care, including topics such as:
- Pharmacology in sports
- USADA’s, Tammy Hanson is presenting on “Anti-Doping Strategies in Athletes: Safeguarding Integrity and Health in Sports.”
- Emerging therapies for Performance Optimization
- Injury prevention and recovery
Accredited by NSU Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy for continuing pharmacy education (CPE), the summit offers up to 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs). It is approved as a CE Broker provider for the Florida Board of Pharmacy.
Attending events like this ensures athletes and support teams stay informed on the latest anti-doping developments while fostering a commitment to clean competition.
Navigating the complexities of anti-doping regulations can be challenging, but staying informed and proactive is key. With the 2025 WADA Prohibited List introducing significant updates, athletes and coaches must prioritize compliance to protect their careers and the integrity of sport. Leveraging the expertise of sports pharmacists and participating in educational events are practical steps to achieving this goal.
For more information on the Clinical Sports Pharmacy Summit or to register, visit https://sportsrxnetwork.com/events/summit-2025/.
Become a Member
If you want real-time clinical cases, webinars, evidence-based sports supplementation resources, continuing education, anti-doping resources, and access to exclusive digital content, join the Sports Pharmacy Network here.
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Written by Jessie Tobin, MA, BA
After receiving her master’s in professional communication, Jessie began her professional career at a healthcare technology startup, where she managed all content writing, paid media, email marketing and partner relationships. She is deeply passionate about using storytelling to build strong emotional connections between brands and their audiences, a skill she has refined through her YouTube channel, which has over 17 million views. Aside from copywriting, she shares her expertise as a professor at The University of Tampa.