NFL Drug Testing (1 Viewer)

[Two Deep]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

 

[Two Deep]

I guess I will expand on this subject: Most companies have a drug policy and disciplne procedure. Typically if you test positive for an illegal substance you are disciplined ...unless you can produce a prescription from a physician. Josh Gordon said he was prescribed a cough syrup with codeine (don't know if this was ever proven) but lets say he was...should he really be disciplined to the extent of being on the door of a 1 year suspension? The NFL policy if written that way seems a bit extreme.

 

[Bri]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

 

[Two Deep]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

Again if a player is prescribed a drug that is on the banned list how can said player face discipline? I can see if a player is taking someone elses presciption or taking illegal drugs but adderall and codeine. Yet the team doctors hand pain killers out like they are candy.

 

[Pots]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

Again if a player is prescribed a drug that is on the banned list how can said player face discipline? I can see if a player is taking someone elses presciption or taking illegal drugs but adderall and codeine. Yet the team doctors hand pain killers out like they are candy.

Players are ultimately responsible for regulating what goes into their body and whether or not it's banned or not. They are taught this when they come into the league and have many people in the organization to help them if they have any questions about it. To play in the NFL with the big opportunities it provides comes with some necessary diligence to either learn what you can/can't do or utilize the resources provided to you by the team and NFL to help you do this. If you're going to elect the risk of getting a prescription from a non-NFL doctor after being briefed that NFL doctors know what is allowed and what isn't allowed, and that normal physicians may not, then you better either know yourself, or run that prescription by someone that does to make sure. If the player elects to ignore those precautions, then they only have themselves to blame and treat this as an expensive lesson for the future.

The only portion of your question that has any debate is whether you believe codeine should be a banned substance or not. Considering the popular methods of using it to get high and the medical alternatives that work just as well, there is legitimate reason to have it as a banned substance. While it is a common prescription for most people, there are alternatives that NFL players use and the NFL is trying to make it clear that you need to be careful about anything you put in your body. You don't need to know everything yourself, but simply run everything by someone that does in the organization that you trust (if you don't trust the team doctor for whatever reason).

 

[RandyDB]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

James Andrews is a Team Physician for Washington Redskins.

 

[Bri]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

Again if a player is prescribed a drug that is on the banned list how can said player face discipline? I can see if a player is taking someone elses presciption or taking illegal drugs but adderall and codeine. Yet the team doctors hand pain killers out like they are candy.

I don't understand why those diet pills are all the rage then suddenly toxic. Xenadrine? wasn't that one?

Like I said before, the NFLs ends out these lists and the players must track them.

If they don't, they lose 100k or whatever they make for that game. It's not like you or I missing a day's work.

The player can take this banned list to his doctor and the doctor will likely have a nurse or secretary verify that things are ok.

I don't really know how to keep up with the changes in what's ok and what's not OK other than how they do it. If the doc is responsible for his health, then he should ask his nurse to scan the list.

 

[Bri]

Are players required to use NFL/Team doctors? What if a player uses his family doctor and he prescribes him a banned substance? How do HIPAA laws come into play?

If I understand the rules correctly a player cannot use a banned substance even if prescribed by a legitimate physician.

the individual patient can share his information with whomever he wants.

It's common practice to fill out a form when you visit a doc authorizing him to access your medical history.

There's not a lot of legal protection (I suppose some think of these things and would disagree) if an employer requires you to take a drug test. The NFL goes further and tries to educate them in classes and with brochures/mailings. The NFLPA is surely in support of having healthy players and players knowledgable about health concerns. They don't generally stick up for the player amidst positive tests but have on occasion.

A player can see whatever doc he wants, but the rules have stated that they have to be cleared to play by an NFL physician. Most docs aren't-besides team doctors- but there are guys like James Andrews (surgeon) who are NFL approved. Conceivably they could get a physical at one of these docs too if they didn't like their team doctor. Why one would go to a surgeon for a physical...idk but you asked so...

James Andrews is a Team Physician for Washington Redskins.

He is not exclusive to them at all. He isn't even exclusive to the NFL.

Feel free to google and see all the players he's worked upon.

He's an orthopedic surgeon and this is the field where he became famous. Andrews Center is "the place" if you wreck your knee.

 

[Bri]

from their website:

Our Physicians
Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center Physicians have accumulated years of experience in their fields of practice. Their specific practices are the total accumulation of many years of dedicated research and treatment of tens of thousands of patients over time.

Formulation
Our center was formulated in the 1980's. During that decade a professional focus of expertise was more fully formulated with regard to sports medicine and orthopaedic procedures, and Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center physicians were then assimilated to join together in one of the nations premier surgery and treatment centers.

GrowthThrough the nineties and into the new century our services and treatments have expanded. We have become recognized as a leader in the field of orthopaedics, and our patients continue to return to us when needed.

 

[RandyDB]

was just pointing out that Andrews is an NFL team physician.

Andrews serves as the team doctor for Alabama, Auburn, and the NFL's Washington Redskins

http://nflps.org/washington-redskins/