The number of baseball players approved to take attention deficit disorder medications under baseball's drug policy rose last season, even after the sport tightened its rules in response to criticism from Congress.
According to a report issued today, 106 therapeutic use exemptions for ADD drugs were issued last year, up from the 103 exemptions reported to Congress last year.
For the first time -- and in implementing one of the recommendations in last year's Mitchell Report -- baseball issued a public accounting of how many positive tests had been recorded last year and how many exemptions had been issued.
Of 3,486 tests administered last year, 19 resulted in a positive test, including five for performance-enhancing substances and 14 for stimulants, according to the report.
The issue of ADD drugs arose during a Congressional hearing last year, when it was revealed that the number of exemptions granted for those drugs had risen from 28 in 2006 to 103 in 2007, sparking concern that some players might be trying to circumvent a newly implemented amphetamine ban by using ADD medications.
In response, baseball tightened the rules covering exemptions, restricted team doctors from writing prescriptions for ADD drugs and refused to allow players to pursue an exemption after a positive test, even with a prior prescription.
Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president and Commissioner Bud Selig's point man on drug policy issues, was not immediately available for comment.
bill.shaikin@latimes.com
