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

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

“A drug that Simone would not have 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 recent drug approved by the EMA in 2021; it inhibits some 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 failure. The drug has a LOT of side effects, some of which are very serious, so the label clearly states 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 have doped with 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 he is also the newest...

Gabriela Andreahu, 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 . Essentially, the body can recover faster from intense efforts.”