The American Society of Hematology issued a policy statement Thursday opposed to the current NCAA mandate that requires schools to test athletes for sickle cell trait.
The policy statement conflicts with that NCAA testing policy that is not yet two years old. For decades, the association had not tested for sickle cell trait but changed its stance as part of a settlement of a lawsuit over the death of a Rice athlete in 2006.
The NCAA requires that all athletes be tested for the condition unless they provide prior test results or sign a waiver. In a Thursday press release, the hematology society contended that ?current scientific evidence does not justify screening.? It says that ?universal preventive interventions? make testing unnecessary.? The society stated further that the Army uses such measures as heat acclimatization, hydration and work-rest cycles to deal with all situations regarding exertional issues.
Scott Anderson, Oklahoma head trainer and noted expert on sickle cell trait, countered: ?Their [recommended] precautions are not working for individuals with sickle cell trait ??
Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It is a condition found in approximately eight percent of African-Americans and in a much smaller percentages of Caucasians.? Anyone with the condition can live a normal life. About two million Americans live with the trait. Problems occur when blood cells ?sickle? due to overexertion.
Thursday?s policy statement seems to make public a large disagreement between organizations on how to treat the affliction. The hematology society said its position is supported by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, American Public Health Association and Association of Public Health Laboratories.
That differs from the approach taken by the NCAA, NBA, NFL and the military academies aside from the Army.
Oklahoma has had major award winners play with the condition. But because of Anderson and his research, afflicted athletes are acclimated to heat and exertion over a period of days at the beginning of spring and fall practice. Testing becomes a further safeguard.
Several high-profile deaths caused by the condition have occurred in recent years at Missouri, Florida State, Central Florida and Rice. ?
Anderson added that the NBA, NFL, Navy, Marines and Air Force do screen for sickle cell trait. In results published recently in Health Services Research Journal, it was estimated there would be one death in the NCAA if every athlete were tested over a four-year period. Without testing, the research concluded that seven players would die over a 10-year period.
Anderson said that 2011 was believed to be the most deadly year for athletes nationally regarding sickle cell trait since 2000. Not all of the deaths have been confirmed to be caused by sickle cell trait, Anderson added. It is known that sickle cell trait has been the leading cause of non-traumatic deaths among Division I college football players since 2000. The NCAA changed its policy in 2010 after lawsuit brought by the family of Rice football player Dale Lloyd. The association promised to require testing and increase awareness.
?When you look at kind of objectively, this was prompted by a lawsuit,? said Dr. Janis Abkowitz, president-elect of the hematology society. ?We?re not against the NCAA ? We hope that we could provide information to the NCAA in rethinking both the correctness of the initial policy, but also some of its downstream unintended policy.?
Dr. Abkowitz said the NCAA plans to extend its policy to Division II and Division III athletes, ?every high school kid that is interested in sport would be tested and confused.? She want on to call it a ?huge network of misunderstanding?. The society notified the NCAA before releasing its statement.
?We?re not out for a battle, we?re out to be helpful,? Dr. Abkowitz said.
In February 2010, Ole Miss player Bennie Abram died of complications resulting from sickle cell trait. The school, the NCAA and other entities are being sued by Abrams? family. The death took place just as the NCAA was changing its policy.
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Source: http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34585354?source=rss_blogs_NCAAF
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