Horsemen’s Advisory: Yunnan Baiyao / Yunnan Paiyao Following up on an advisory distributed in January 2024, HIWU strongly advises horsemen to dispose of any variations of the herbal products that may be identified on the labels as Yunnan Paiyao, Yunnan Baiyao, and/or Baiyao. HIWU continues to find these supplements during searches despite the risks associated with them. In testing various forms of these products, which are manufactured in the United States and abroad, both Banned Substances (e.g., boldione, glaucine, higenamine, and adenosine monophosphate) and Controlled Medications (e.g., ephedrine) have been reported in analyzed samples despite not being listed on the ingredient labels. Continued use of these products may put horsemen at risk of a positive test. As a reminder, supplements manufactured in the United States or elsewhere are not regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration; horsemen and veterinarians use them at their own risk. Additional resources are available on the HIWU website: Dietary Supplements- What You Should Know What's the Scoop on Dietary Supplements? By applying caution and conducting due diligence before purchasing or using dietary supplements, horsemen can ensure that they are doing their best to minimize the risk of unintentionally exposing their horses to Prohibited Substances. For questions or to get in touch with HIWU’s Science team, please contact sciencesupport@hiwu.org.

In recent months, HIWU has adjudicated multiple cases under HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program in relation to the dietary supplement Easywillow. Easywillow’s ingredient label lists Kava Kava, which is an explicitly named S0 Banned Substance under its other names, Kava and Piper Methysticum. As a courtesy to horsemen and veterinarians, please be reminded of regulations and resources regarding the use of dietary supplements: While the ADMC Program does permit the possession and use of dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, and homeopathic products, horsemen and veterinarians use these products at their own risk. Dietary supplements manufactured in the United States or elsewhere are not regulated or evaluated by the FDA for safety, purity, stability, potency, or efficacy prior to their sale. HISA and HIWU do not approve, certify, or endorse dietary supplements or other feed products as being permitted under the ADMC Program. However, HIWU offers resources for horsemen and veterinarians to help them feel more confident in the products that they give to their horses: HIWU’s substance lookup tool, available at hiwu.org or via the HIWU app, can be used to search for individual ingredients listed on a product’s label; supplement product names are not included. Horsemen and veterinarians should be aware that the absence of a specific ingredient name in the lookup tool / on the Prohibited List does not guarantee that the ingredient is not a Prohibited Substance. For example, Prohibited Substances like Kava Kava may go by or be sold under multiple names. HIWU continually updates the lookup tool to reflect new substance names but cannot guarantee that the tool is exhaustive of every possible option. When in doubt, HIWU’s Science team can confirm whether or not a product’s ingredient label lists any Prohibited Substances. Please note that HIWU’s confirmation of the absence of Prohibited Substances on the label does not guarantee the absence of Prohibited Substances in the product itself, for HIWU has sent supplements for testing that came back positive for Prohibited Substances that were not listed on the label. Additional resources are available on the HIWU website: Dietary Supplements- What You Should Know What's the Scoop on Dietary Supplements? By applying caution and conducting due diligence before purchasing or using dietary supplements, horsemen can ensure that they are doing their best to minimize the risk of unintentionally exposing their horses to Prohibited Substances. For questions or to get in touch with HIWU’s Science team, please contact sciencesupport@hiwu.org

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced today the release of its 2025 Annual Report. The full report is available here. The Annual Report details HIWU’s organization-wide activities as the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. Among the highlights are statistics on testing, results management, the adjudication of cases, investigations, and educational efforts. In addition to extensive ADMC data, the 2025 Annual Report summarizes new procedures, programs, and technologies that were incorporated last year to further enhance the ADMC Program. Among the significant additions were the launch of the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory (HEAL) Accreditation Program, standardization of sample collection equipment nationwide, and development of a Learning Management System for training and recertifying Sample Collection Personnel. “HIWU’s 2025 Annual Report reflects our team’s continued success in administering HISA’s ADMC Program,” said Ben Mosier, executive director for HIWU. “With our role in the Thoroughbred industry now established, we have been able to invest in meaningful projects that will ensure a professional, effective, and fair Program that will benefit racing participants for years to come.” All Annual Reports and Quarterly Statistics are archived in the About Us section of the HIWU website at hiwu.org for viewing anytime. About the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program established a centralized testing and results management process that applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. As the enforcement agency of the ADMC Program, HIWU oversees all testing processes, including the selection of horses to be tested, training of sample collection personnel, and chain-of-custody procedures. Additionally, HIWU is charged with industry/stakeholder education, laboratory accreditation, results management and adjudication, and investigations. For more information, please visit hiwu.org. Contact: Alexa Ravit, HIWU Director of Communications & Outreach  (816) 516-9572  aravit@hiwu.org