The BHA wishes to remind racehorse trainers and veterinary surgeons about the total ban on the use of bisphosphonates, which comes into effect on 1 January 2027.

This follows agreement by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

We have since March 2025 advised trainers and vets against the use of bisphosphonates due to erratic excretion times and the welfare concerns associated with their use.

If for some reason this cannot be avoided and bisphosphonates are administered to a horse in your care before 1 January 2027, in line with the current Rules, this should be carefully and accurately recorded in both the veterinary clinical records and your own medication records.

This record keeping is now particularly important as we approach the cut-off point.

While we continue to advise strongly against the use of bisphosphonates, the Rules currently state that they should not be administered to horses:

• at any time before the age of four years (as of 1 January of the horse’s birth year)
• on raceday or any of the 30 clear days before in horses aged four or older.

This will remain the case until the new Rule comes into effect.

However, from 1 January 2027, bisphosphonates – except those used for diagnostic nuclear imaging – will be prohibited at all times under the Rules of Racing.

Any horse administered a bisphosphonate on or after this date will be subject to a mandatory stand-down from racing:

• For horses aged four or over at the time of administration, this stand down will be six months from the date the positive sample was taken from the horse
• Horses administered BP before the age of four will be suspended from racing until they have reached four years of age and a minimum of six months has elapsed since the date the positive sample was returned.

Buyers of horses before and after 1 January 2027 should also be mindful of the ban and seriously consider testing before finalising any purchase.

Please also ensure that any administration between now and 31 December has been recorded clearly in the horse’s veterinary records. This will be essential for verifying the details should a horse return a positive sample after 1 January 2027.

Thank you for your attention to this. More information is available in this notice.