UKAD launches interactive tool to determine whether you need a Therapeutic Use Exemption

UKAD’s new TUE Wizard has been launched today to help athletes understand if they need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Incorporated on a new ‘Medicine Hub’ area on the UKAD website, the interactive tool takes athletes through a series of questions and directs them to further resources and information to support them in determining whether they need a TUE.

You can check out the TUE Wizard here.

Although it doesn’t turn you into a wizard and send you off to Hogwarts (sorry for disappointing any Harry Potter fans reading this), it does help athletes understand if they need a TUE, as well as when and how to apply, providing them with specific advice and access to the application form relevant to their medical condition. Once finished, users will then be prompted to ‘submit’ their search and will be able to download a PDF of their search results and the guidance provided.

It’s important to start the Wizard from scratch again each time your situation changes (e.g. you take a new medication, or your athlete level changes). We recommend downloading and saving the PDF somewhere safe, in case you need it to demonstrate the checks you have made.

UKAD’s Head of Science and Medicine, Nick Wojek said: “We are excited to launch our new Medicine Hub and TUE Wizard which we hope will help guide athletes through the TUE process.

“The new Medicine Hub will also contain a range of guidance documents on specific medical conditions that athletes and healthcare professionals can access, in order to support their efforts in compiling well-evidenced applications.

“Athletes and healthcare professionals should still contact the Science and Medicine Team at UKAD if they have any further questions after using the Wizard.”

To assist in the development of the Wizard, we consulted with several external stakeholders, including athletes, doctors, National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs), and other National Anti-Doping Organisations.

UKAD Athlete Commission member, Hayley Carruthers was one of the first athletes to test this new piece of software. She said: “The TUE Wizard is a really useful tool for athletes to check if they need a TUE for any medication they are prescribed. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, the guidance is clear, and it provides links to more information if you need it.

“I know that if I have a complicated question I can still call UKAD for advice, but now with the Wizard, finding out if you need a TUE is less stressful and much easier than before.”

If you have any questions on the TUE Wizard, or on TUEs in general, please email tue@ukad.org.uk.