The Committee's concerns are timely both for coordinating action prior to the Olympics and in the context of the current state of knowledge and research in the area of human performance. However, the timetable is tight.

  Here at Glasgow University we have recognised the importance of taking a view of human performance centred on normal physiology but ranging from impairment in illness to relative enhancement at the limits of sporting performance. To this end we have set up the Institute for Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle (IDEAL). This brings together experts in physiology, pharmacology, genetics, biochemistry and nutrition to tackle a range of topics involving the interaction of diet, exercise and other life-style factors on normal, illness-impaired and sporting performance and in the changes that take place over the life cycle from childhood to old-age. On the biomedical side this relates to rehabilitation as well as to the lifestyle factors causing illness. However, the sports side provides significant insights on how to optimise normal performance as well as indicating the physiology of the limits of normal performance. There is great synergy between the biomedical issues and elite performance since both relate to how the "normal" range is perturbed.

  We believe that this philosophy should also lie behind any attempt to understand human enhancement technologies and this is the context for our response.

The potential for different HETs, including drugs, genetic modification and technological devices, to be used legally or otherwise for enhancing sporting performance, now and in the future.

  Scientific knowledge on the optimisation or supra-optimisation of normal human performance will continue to develop. Keeping tabs on this requires expert knowledge across several fields including physiology, pharmacology, genetics, biochemistry, nutrition and bio-engineering.

Steps that could be taken to minimise the use of illegal HETs at the 2012 Olympics.

  Vigilance and subsequent regulation and testing require top quality research. Much research in Sports-related topics is not cutting edge and does not have sufficient scientific depth. This type of work is not currently well supported by the research councils, presumably because it does not provide as much benefit to society as does more obviously biomedical research. Such research as there is often is supported by commercial sources that are not neutral. Research could be sponsored that is based on existing biomedical facilities. This might need to be based on consortia of laboratories in order to achieve breadth of interdisciplinary expertise.

  One starting point might be a high level scientific conference or workshop aimed at highlighting the issues amongst the scientific community and the funding bodies. (The Physiological Society would be interested in promoting this—see below.)

The case, both scientific and ethical, for allowing the use of different HETs in sport and the role of the public, Government and Parliament in influencing the regulatory framework for the use of HETs in sport.

  This ethical debate needs to be informed by solid physiological knowledge. One of the problems with current testing regimes is that the setting of what is "normal" is often open to legitimate challenge because it is based on "soft" scientific data. The concepts of "harm" and "fairness" are influenced by understanding what is within the "acceptable" normal range. Thus, better data is required and decision taking should involve those who understand the data thoroughly.

The state of the UK research and skills base underpinning the development of new HETs, and technologies to facilitate their detection.

  We have alluded to this above. The skills base (physiology in health and disease, genetics and biochemistry) is there but it is not being directed towards these ends and will not be unless funding directs it.

  I hope that these comments are helpful. We would be very pleased to pursue the necessary research in IDEAL since this fits well with our current efforts. For example we have established ICEARS (The International Centre for East African Running Studies) that seeks a scientific basis for the dominance of East Africans in endurance running, and we have formed an international consortium to work with WADA to establish a better basis for drug-testing that includes genetic profiling, which we believe is the future of such endeavours.

  Finally, I would like to propose, in my role as Chairman of The Physiological Society, that the Society work with the Committee to generate the necessary scientific meetings, workshops or other fora to take these matters forward.

August 2006