- Interestingly, I did some research on EPO in a former career (working at a radiation oncology department) and was published on a paper about its effects on patients receiving cancer treatments. This was early on in its adoption for that purpose and it worked splendidly.”
This is one of the things that really bothers me about this. It seems they are trying to lump non-anabolic steroid type procedures and technologies in with anabolic steroids. Perhaps there are some health concerns associated with the use of anabolic steroids (personally I doubt it...but let’s stipulate that that is unhealthy).
Nobody has made the case that EPO is unhealthy. But yet they don’t want it done. Well, just why not? Why shouldn’t every cyclist do EPO?
And what if it turns out that EPO is actually a good thing to do?
What if it turns out that as you sort of note that EPO is a strong immune system stimulant, which fights off cancer?
The problem is, you can’t have that conversation in the light of day, because everyone is so obsessed about punishing those that are “doping”.
I just don’t get it...
What confuses the subject for me is that what they now mean by “doping” doesn’t seem to mean what it used to mean. When I think of doping I’m thinking of the use of anabolic steroids and such very strong drugs that cause all sorts of extreme physical changes. It appears though now what they mean by “doping” amounts to little more than taking some extra vitamins on game day. I think I need to know more about what they’re really accusing before I decide to care. Then, if indeed they were all doing it too... Where’s the advantage?
Transfusions sound pretty extreme. I’ll stipulate that. I suppose it’s done to get the RBC count up? Though after all his chemo I’m not sure it’s the massive advantage it’s cracked up to be.
Then I’d like to know what the -legal- means are. What sorts of body chemistry is acceptable?