(Las Vegas, Nevada)—The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) announced today that it is honored to welcome Dr. Don Catlin as VADA’s Scientific Advisor.  For more than three decades, Dr. Catlin has been at the forefront of the global battle against performance-enhancing drug (PED) use in sport. Dr. Catlin's research has been instrumental to the detection methodology currently used worldwide in high-level PED testing.

“I am looking forward to work with VADA,” says Catlin. “They are a trustworthy and complete program.  They even use carbon isotope ratio (CIR/IRMS) as a screening tool on every sample, which is a remarkable step forward in combating testosterone use."

In 1982, Dr. Catlin founded the UCLA Olympic Analytical laboratory, the first anti-doping lab in the United States and served as its director for 25 years.  There he oversaw PED testing for the Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City Olympic games, the FIFA World Cup, and routinely conducted testing for the NFL, NCAA, USOC, and various other sport organizations.

Dr. Catlin is a member of the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee and serves as Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.  He has published more than 100 research articles, covering topics including the discovery of the infamous designer steroid tetrahydro-gestrinone (THG), erythropoietin (EPO) detection, and breakthroughs in the detection of testosterone and other endogenous steroids.

Dr. Margaret Goodman, VADA's president, notes, “There are few people in the world with Don Catlin's expertise and foundation of knowledge.  He truly understands our mission.”  VADA's VP and internationally respected former Nevada State Athletic Commission regulator Dr. Flip Homansky adds, “Dr. Catlin is a pioneer in anti-doping.”  Echoing these sentiments, VADA’s Counsel Ryan Connolly states, “Dr. Catlin’s scientific expertise and experience is unparalleled and we are excited to work with someone who has made such important contributions to protecting the health and safety of athletes.”

Since its inception in 2011, VADA has provided combat sport athletes a voice to advance their health and safety through a stringent testing protocol for PEDs.  VADA’s efforts also serve as a reminder that improved PED-testing protocols are desperately needed to ensure the welfare of boxers and mixed martial artists.  VADA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is an independent organization  offering and promoting effective anti-doping programs in boxing and mixed martial arts.  More information about VADA can be found at www.VADA-testing.org or by contacting VADA at info@VADA-testing.org.