The NFLPA is telling all agents to contact their clients immediately regarding the use of Toradol, an anti-inflammatory drug commonly referred to as ketorolac, which has been used increasingly by NFL club medical staffs in treatment of player injuries.
In a June 27 memo, the union informed contract advisors, the Board of Player Representatives and the NFLPA Executive Committee of the NFL Physicians Society Task Force’s recommendations on the use of Toradol by NFL clubs. All agents are instructed by the players association to contact their player-clients before the start of training camps and ask them to consult with their doctors with further questions.
In the agent memo, the NFLPA legal department highlights three key recommendations from the task force’s report:
- Ketorolac should only be administered under the direct supervision and order of a team physician.
- Ketorolac should not be used prophylactically as a means of reducing anticipated pain before or after participation in NFL games or practices.
- Ketorolac use should be limited to those players diagnosed with an injury or condition listed on the teams’ latest injury report, or following a physician-diagnosed injury or condition that occurs after the last injury report has been submitted to the NFL prior to competition.
The memo goes on to state: “Because of this increased attention to Toradol, we have for the first time been notified that at least one club is attempting to get players to sign” a document waiving future claims regarding use of the drug. The union is strongly discouraging players from ever signing any informed consent and/or waiver covering the use of Toradol, titled “Player-Informed Consent for the Use of Toradol.” According to the NFLPA, clubs do not have a right to mandate that a player sign an informed consent and/or waiver before a club doctor will prescribe Toradol in the treatment of an injury.
As the letter states, “The CBA does not permit a club to require a player to sign a waiver as a precondition to its medical staff prescribing Toradol in the treatment of an injury.”
To read the actual memo click the link below.
NFLPA Memo on Toradol June 2012
By Khalil Garriott
