J.C. Romero reacts after striking out Rocco Baldelli to cap the Phillies' 10-2 win over the Rays in Game 4 of the World Series. (Ron Cortes / Staff Photographer)
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Romero supplement's maker cites false positives
The company that makes the dietary supplement that Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero said he took before testing positive for a banned substance said yesterday that its product was untainted and may have caused a false positive.
Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.
"While advances in analytical testing and sensitivity in detection of metabolites have made drug testers more proficient at catching cheaters, the unintended consequence is that a perfectly legal and untainted substance can cause a positive test for a banned or illegal substance," Proviant Technologies said in a statement.
"Although little information has been released about the specifics of the alleged positive test, our preliminary investigation of these allegations has uncovered information showing that the main active ingredient in our product will trigger a false positive for androstenedione."
Sources have said Romero tested positive in August for androstenedione, which is banned by Major League Baseball. The federal Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 defined androstenedione as an anabolic steroid.
Proviant makes 6-Oxo Extreme, the supplement that Romero said he took. It said androstenetrione, an ingredient, could trigger a false positive for androstenedione.
In response, MLB issued a statement that said: "We stand by our drug testing program and its results."
Christiane Ayotte, head of the Doping Control Laboratory at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Center near Montreal, which handles drug testing for MLB, disputed Proviant's statement and defended the testing program.
Romero has maintained he did nothing wrong, saying no banned substances were listed on the packaging of the supplement that he used. He lost an appeal and will be suspended for 50 games at the start of the season.
Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.
