Roanoke College Athletic Training Department
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Medication Exemption Information
Medical exceptions for ADHD stimulants will require more documentation beginning Aug 1st
Effective August 1, 2009, The NCAA will begin requiring stricter documentation procedures for student-athletes seeking a medical exception to allow the regular use of a medication that contains a banned substance.
Stimulant medications commonly prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), such as Adderall and Ritalin, are among banned substances for which a medical exception for a positive drug test may be granted, provided a student-athlete’s institution presents documentation that those substances have been prescribed by a physician and is supported by a clinical assessment for education or health reasons.
In order to process a medical exception for a banned stimulant, an institution must be prepared to submit documentation at the time of confirmation of a positive drug test. Otherwise, the institution will have to submit an appeal for the positive test.
Under the stricter application of medical exceptions, documentation for stimulants prescribed to treat ADHD must include evidence that the student-athlete has undergone a clinical assessment to diagnose the disorder, is being monitored routinely for use of the stimulant medication, and has a current prescription on file.
The NCAA bans stimulants not only because they may enhance athletic performance, but because they pose a health risk by potentially contributing to heat illness or placing stress on the heart.
NCAA student-athletes and athletics staffs can use Drug Free Sport’s Resource Exchange Center
(www.drugfreesport.com/rec) to learn whether a medication is banned.
(Taken from NCAA NEWS)

Roanoke College Athletic Training Department
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Medication Exemption Information

Do I need to tell my athletic trainer and athletic training staff about taking ADD/ADHD medication? o Yes. Proper documentation of the diagnosis, prescription medication, and follow-up care is mandated by the NCAA
 If I have been diagnosed and treated for ADD/ADHD before, what do I have to do now? o Contact your healthcare provider who was managing and caring for you regarding the
ADD/ADHD. The athletic training staff requires all records of the ADD/ADHD assessment and history of treatment, including follow-up examinations. The athletic training staff will also require continual updated information from all of your future follow-up exams and copies of each prescription given.

What if I do not have records of an ADD/ADHD assessment, but have been prescribed and have taken/currently take medication for ADD/ADHD? o If you do not have records documenting testing and evaluation, you must undergo a comprehensive evaluation to establish a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, regardless of previously taken
or prescribed medication.

Do I just need to have the one evaluation? Are there any other appointments I need to make? o The NCAA requires, at minimum, yearly follow-up examinations for clinical evaluation.
Documentation of each of those visits needs to be given to the athletic training staff to be placed in the student-athlete’s file.

What does the documentation from my healthcare provider have to include? o The NCAA mandates that the athletic training staff should have at least the following documentation on file:
 Description of the evaluation process which identifies the assessment tools and procedures.
 Statement of the diagnosis, including when it was confirmed.
 History of ADD/ADHD treatment (previous/ongoing).
 Statement that a non-banned ADHD alternative has been considered if a stimulant is currently prescribed.
 Copy of the most recent prescription (as documented by the prescribing physician).
 Statement regarding follow-up and monitoring visits.
 What if I am taking ADD/ADHD medication without a prescription? What if I do not give all or any of the proper documentation and still take my ADD/ADHD medication? o Most ADD/ADHD medication includes stimulants, which are banned under the NCAA. If the proper documentation is not on file and the student-athlete fails a drug test due to the
ADD/ADHD medication, the athletic training staff will not be able to appeal for a medical exemption. The resulting punishment towards the student-athlete may include, but is not
limited to, a suspension of 365 days from the date of the positive drug test.

Roanoke College Athletic Training Department
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Medication Exemption Information
Primary Care Physician / Health Care Provider:
The student-athlete presenting this form to you plans to or already participates in intercollegiate athletics at our institution. Our institution is governed by the rules and regulations of the NCAA. New legislation beginning August
1, 2009, involves the collection of medical records for those student-athletes diagnosed/treated for ADHD/ADD utilizing specific medication which may be banned by the NCAA. In order to show compliance with this new legislation, we are asking our student-athletes to take this letter to their primary care physician/health care provider to fill out and to provide the following information in order to continue/begin their NCAA participation while also continuing to take their ADHD/ADD medication. Please return this form to the student-athlete or to the following address or fax number:
Mike Buurman, Athletic Trainer
Roanoke College
221 College Lane
Salem, VA 24143
Phone (540) 378-5155
Examples of the NCAA Banned-Drug Class: Stimulants
include: amphetamine, atomoxetine,
dexmethylphenidate, dextroamphetamine,
methamphetamine, and methylphenidate. For more
information please visit www.ncaa.org/health-safety .
Fax (540) 375-2382
Student-Athlete’s Name: ___________________________________ Date of Birth: ________________
Date of initial evaluation: ___________________ Date of most-recent follow-up: __________________
Blood Pressure: _____________ Pulse: ____________
Physician’s Diagnosis: ___________________________________________________________________
Medication Prescribed / Follow-up Orders: __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Please attach a brief summary of the comprehensive clinical evaluations used to diagnose this studentathlete with ADHD/ADD (reference DSM-IV criteria) and any supporting documentation.
Please attach note-worthy alternative non-banned medications that have been tried or considered and why they were not utilized.
Please attach any ADHD Rating Scale (ex: Connors, ASRS, CAARS) scores and report summaries.
If available, please provide copies of the following:
 Any psychological testing results

Laboratory/testing results helping to diagnose ADHD/ADD

Previous ADHD/ADD diagnosis summaries not completed/diagnosed by the current physician
Name of Physician: _____________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________ STAMP
Specialty: ____________________________________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ________________