News Release

Statement by Tommy G. Thompson Secretary of Health and Human Services Regarding Major League Baseball's New Steroid Testing Decision

I commend Major League Baseball owners and players on their important decision to crack down on the illegal use of steroids. Not only is this good for the game and for sport in general, but professional athletes are role models to millions of youth and aspiring athletes across the country and this step shows that the long-term health consequences outweigh any short-term gain.

Banning steroid use has always been a public health issue. The more professional athletes used steroids, the more we were seeing them among college and high school athletes. In his State of the Union in 2004, President Bush brought this issue to the forefront encouraging professional sports to get rid of steroid use. With this latest step by Major League Baseball, we are seeing encouraging steps to improve the overall public health and public perception of these dangerous drugs.

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Last revised: January 13, 2005