Pennsylvania Code
Title 7 - AGRICULTURE
Part VIII - State Horse Racing Commission
Subpart F - Foreign Substances, Medications, Drugs and Equine Veterinary Practices
Chapter 401 - PROHIBITED AND UNLAWFUL PRACTICES-TEMPORARY REGULATIONS
POST-RACE TESTING
Section 401.24 - Primary sample collection

(a) The collection of blood, urine or other biological samples shall be done in accordance with the Commission's established procedures or other National guidelines or procedures approved by the Commission. In every event, "primary" and "split" portions of a sample shall always be taken at the same time and shall be of the same substance.

(b) Any combination or sufficient quantity of blood, urine or other biological samples, as determined by the Commission Veterinarian or the Commission, may be used by the Commission testing laboratory for purposes of testing for prohibited substances under this chapter. The election by the Commission testing laboratory to use one form of biological sample shall not be a basis to challenge the detection and confirmation of a prohibited substance in the tested horse.

(c) The Commission shall approve and provide the urine containers, blood sample receptacles and all other materials, plastic bags, evidentiary security/evidence tape and equipment necessary to properly identify, seal, secure and store the samples from the selected horses.

(d) The samples taken from a horse by the Commission Veterinarian or the Commission's test barn staff shall be collected in the appropriate number of containers and shall be designated as the primary and split samples. At least two blood samples for each horse shall be collected in sample receptacles approved by the Commission. These samples shall be sealed with tamper-proof tape and bear the specific identification tracking number associated with that horse and its samples.

(e) The Commission Veterinarian and testing barn staff shall create and properly maintain records of the sampling, evidentiary sealing and storing of the primary and split samples which shall be made a part of the Commission's chain of custody documentation for administrative hearing purposes.

(f) Once collected, sealed and documented, all primary samples shall be placed into locked refrigerators designated for storage of biological samples under the supervision of the Commission Veterinarian or the Commission's designee, to be safeguarded until the primary samples are packaged and shipped to the Commission testing laboratory for chemical analysis.

(g) At all times during the sampling, testing and administrative process, the Commission shall be considered the owner of the primary sample.