Simona Halep: what Dr. Adina Alberts says about the medicine the athlete was taking

Roxadustat, a medicine that Simona Halep takes, is a substance indicated in the treatment of certain types of anemia. doctor Adina Alberts explains more about this remedy.

“A medicine that Simone would not have had access to, Roxadustat, is only available by prescription. It is possible that this substance was contained in another, more complex over-the-counter drug, and Simone took it by mistake.

Roxadastat is a new drug approved by the EMA in 2021; it inhibits some of the factors that cause hypoxia. That is, it provides better tissue oxygenation. It is approved in the EU mainly because of the benefits it can bring to patients with chronic kidney disease. The drug has MANY side effects, some of which are very serious, so its instructions clearly state that the product requires further research. And in the US, Roxadastat does not exist because it is not approved by the FDA.

There are over 700 banned substances that Simone could dope if that was her intention. A substance called roxadustat is one of them. It is not the most effective and not the most harmless. And it's the newest...

Gabriela Andreeagu, head of the Romanian Anti-Doping Agency (ANAD), explained to Libertatea the benefits of this substance: “Roxadustat is a drug used in cases of anemia, it stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete more EPO, which leads to an increase in the production of red blood cells, which contributes to better oxygenation of the blood . In fact, the body can recover faster after intense effort.”