Asian Screening Limits (ASLs) and International Screening Limits (ISLs)

Asian Screening Limits (ASLs) for controlling equine therapeutics

Therapeutic Substance ASL@ Codes of Signatory Countries#
Dexamethasone 0.02 ng/mL in plasma HK, IN, JP, KR, MO, MU, OM, PK, QA, SA, SG, ZA, TR, AE,VN
Firocoxib 2 ng/mL in plasma AU, BH, HK, IN, KR, MO, MU, OM, PK, QA, SA, SG, ZA, TH, TR, AE,VN, KW
Ketoprofen

(restricted to a single oral or IV dose)

2 ng/mL in plasma AU, BH, HK, IN, KR, MO, MU, OM, PK, QA, SA, SG, ZA, TH, TR, AE, VN, KW
Methocarbamol

(restricted to a single oral or IV dose of no more than 5 grams)

100 ng/mL in urine AU, BH, HK, IN, JP, KR, MO, MU, OM, PK, QA, SA, ZA, TH, TR, AE,VN, KW
Procaine

(corresponding to a Detection Time of 12 days after administering Procaine Penicillin intramuscularly at 12 mg/kg for 5 days)

20 ng/mL in urine BH, HK, IN, KR, MO, MU, OM, PK, QA, SA, SG, ZA, TH, TR, AE,VN, KW

Explanatory Notes:

  1. The Asian Screening Limits (ASLs) are merely harmonised detection limits adopted by the signatory countries (and conveyed by instruction from racing authorities to their laboratories) for use in the screening of the specified therapeutic substances. The ASLs are NOT international thresholds. When this detection limit is exceeded in the screening process, qualitative confirmatory analysis will be followed to confirm the presence or absence of the prohibited substance. Accurate quantification is NOT REQUIRED for reporting as these therapeutic substances are prohibited by the relevant rules at any levels.
  2. ASLs are NOT APPLICABLE to the concurrent detection of a diuretic (for urinary ASLs) or a pharmacologically related medication.
  3. Urine and plasma ASLs of the same medication are to be applied INDEPENDENTLY.
  4. The ASLs stated herein are applicable only in the ARF region.

@Unless indicated otherwise, the stated ASL is the free and conjugated concentration of the parent substance or a specified analyte in equine urine; or the free concentration of the parent substance or a specified analyte in equine plasma.

# Signatory countries (as of 30 Nov 2022) that have adopted the individual ASL. ARF Member codes: AU = Australia; BH =Bahrain; HK = Hong Kong; IN = India; JP = Japan; KR = Korea; MO = Macau; MY =Malaysia; MU = Mauritius; NZ = New Zealand; OM = Oman; PK = Pakistan; PH =Philippines; QA = Qatar; SA = Saudi Arabia; SG = Singapore; ZA = South Africa; TH = Thailand; TR = Turkey; AE = United Arab Emirates; VN = Vietnam; KW =Kuwait (Affiliate Member).

International Screening Limits (ISLs)

International Screening Limits in Plasma can be found on the IFHA website which is accessible here.

International Screening Limits in Urine can be found on the IFHA website which is accessible here.