Dr. Weeks’ Comment: The science is unambiguous: HGH improves and accelerates healing. This is well known, but because HGH is also performance-enhancing hormone, it has been banned from competitive athletics. Here is the Federal law on HGH clarifying that doctors are allowed to use HGH for the treatment of diseases (including injuries) provided there is reasonable scientific rationale for its use (being expensive).
“… 21 U.S.C.A. §333(e) Prohibited distribution of human growth hormone. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever knowingly distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute, human growth hormone for any use in humans other than the treatment of a disease or other recognized medical condition, where such use has been authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 355 of this title and pursuant to the order of a physician, is guilty of an offense ….”
Whereas critics of HGH use for athletes claim that HGH treatment is authorized by federal law only for certain on-label conditions recognized by the Secretary of HHS, anyone who completed 6th grade understands that the word “or” indicates a disjunctive – an “either this or that” statement clearly allows for the treatment of a disease (such as an athletic injury) or the treatment of a “condition” (which is not a disease – for example; giving HGH to children who are too short for their age. Also, please appreciate the word choice of “distribution” and not “prescription”. The legislative intent was NOT to interfere with the doctor-patient relationship involving the treatment of disease (like an athletic injury). It was only to restrict HGH prescription for performance enhancement. Mark Cuban is a hero for all 21st century gladiators. If he prevails, in the research he is funding at U Michigan, there will be far less suffering by aged, retired and disabled professional athletes. If the NFL really wanted to protect its players from traumatic brain injury and related post- concussion neuro-cognitive dysfunction, it would encourage doctors to use HGH as this doctor recommends.
Mark Cuban says HGH use should be allowed in sports
With Al Jazeera reporting that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had HGH shipments sent to his home in his wife’s name to help him recover from neck surgery, Cuban raised the question of whether or not HGH is really that bad for an athlete.
This from Cuban:
“Absolutely, I mean look at it. We say it’s okay for people to get Lasik for their eyes, that’s performance-enhancing. We say that you can get Tommy John Surgery or any surgery is performance-enhancing. We don’t say ”˜don’t do it because it can be performance-enhancing.’ We say ”˜let’s do what’s right to get you healthy again.’”
Cuban also said that the stigma against any drug use in professional sports comes from the PR sway of world organizations like the Anti-Doping Agency and the Olympics, where many forms of drugs are considered to be illegal.
The Mavericks owner says that’s why professional leagues like the NFL, MLB and NBA try to come down hard on performance-enhancing drug users to avoid “a PR nightmare.”
According to Wed MD, HGH is predominately given to children who have growth deficiencies, as well as those who suffer from kidney insufficiency.
While adults are sometimes prescribed HGH by doctors to combat muscle-wasting diseases such as HIV/AIDS, there is no concrete evidence yet that HGH helps combat injuries 100 percent safely.
Others, like For the Win’s Chris Chase, agree with Cuban, arguing that it really isn’t such a bad thing for athletes to take drugs that help them recover from injuries safely.