Everything You Need to Know About HASTA Drug Testing
HASTA Testing and Certificate Q&As
TESTING & CERTIFICATION
Q: Why should look for a tested product if I only buy from reputable brands?
A: Even reputable brands can have issues with inadvertent contamination of products, so if the product hasn’t been specifically tested for WADA banned substances you could be at risk.
Q: What does the HASTA Certification seal mean?
A: Certifying a product involves not just testing, but verification of the manufacturing quality controls that are in place. If a product has the “HASTA Certified” seal on pack, it means that every batch has been tested for over 200 WADA prohibited substances. It is designed to give competing athletes in particular, confidence in choosing a supplement, knowing that it has the added assurance of being testing for inadvertent contamination with banned substances.
Q: What does “batch testing” mean?
A: Generally this has come to mean that a sample from a specific batch of product has been sent for Independent Third Party testing and has been shown not to contain WADA banned substances. This will be stated on a Drug Testing Certificate.
Q: How is Certification different from batch testing?
Certification requires significant additional commitment from the supplier; prior to being certified HASTA verifies the product by testing multiple samples from different batches; in addition suppliers who are part of the HASTA certification scheme also need to demonstrate that they have a current, comprehensive and third party audited Quality Assurance system in place in each and every manufacturing facility. Once a product is certified, every new batch of product needs to be tested to maintain that certification.
Q: If the product is Certified by HASTA does that guarantee that it is drug free?
A: No testing can ever guarantee that a batch is completely free from contamination, but purchasing a HASTA Certified product significantly reduces the risk
Q: What is the difference between HASTA testing and the manufacturer telling me that they test the product themselves?
A: Detection of drugs down to parts per billion levels is a specialised area requiring specialised equipment. HASTA has over 20 years’ experience in drug detection and is NATA accredited to ISO 17025, the international standard for laboratories. HASTA’s results are fully independent.
Q: If HASTA tests a product does it mean it is WADA and ASADA approved?
A: No, WADA and ASADA do not certify or endorse any supplement products. Furthermore, under their charter, WADA labs cannot provide commercial testing of supplements.
Q: Will showing I use a Certified product get me out of a ban if I receive an anti-doping violation from ASADA/WADA?
A: The 2015 WADA Code has a “Reduction in the Period of Ineligibility” clause that may apply in the case of contaminated supplements (Clause 10.5.1.2 Contaminated Products); however, it does require that the athlete can establish “No Significant Fault or Negligence” so only using Certified products could assist with providing this defence.
BANNED SUBSTANCES:
Q: Who decides which drugs are banned?
A: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes a full list of banned substances and methods each year. View the current official WADA Prohibited List here: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/content/what-is-prohibite
Q: Can HASTA test for everything on the list?
A: No, the list contains methods (eg manipulation of blood) and non-approved substances (such as experimental drugs) that cannot be tested for, but we believe the HASTA screen is one of the most comprehensive testing screens available, covering well over 200 identified banned substances.
Q: Are banned substances really a problem in Australia?
A: Yes, we continue to detect WADA banned substances in our testing and furthermore, according to ASADA “Every month, at least one Australian athlete tests positive from a supplement contaminated with a prohibited substance.”(ASADA Apr 2018)
