Vietnam develops new drug

2006-01-21 09:48

Hanoi - Government scientists in Vietnam say they have developed two drugs that improve the performance of athletes but deny the substances are tantamount to doping.

Taxaton and Saraton help increase the number of red blood cells and raise testosterone levels, said Pham Van Thiem at the Hanoi University of Technology on Friday. Testosterone is a male hormone that helps muscles grow.

Vietnamese researchers say that the products are "natural" because they are derived from snakes and herbs.

"This is not doping because doping has direct effects on the nervous system," said Thiem. "These substances help the users collect more amino acids and enhance their energy."

Nguyen Trong Hy, deputy chairperson of the National Sports Committee, said Vietnamese athletes were given Taxaton and Saraton to give them more energy during the recent Southeast Asian Games held in the Philippines. All of the athletes passed their drug tests.

What constitutes doping is the subject of fierce debate in the world of sports. Caffeine could be considered addictive but is certainly legal. Coca leaves, which produce cocaine, are "natural" but they are banned.

Researchers say that after conducting tests on the drugs' safety and efficacy for the past five years they have determined that Taxaton and Saraton have no negative side effects.

The state-owned National Pharmaceutical Company, which helped develop the drugs, will soon start selling the products to the general public at 2 000 Vietnamese dong (12 cents) a pop.

"We plan to manufacture between 500 000 to 600 000 tablets this year," said Thiem. "If demand is high, we'll produce more." - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA