Report: Kentucky drug-testing lab has accreditation restored

More than nine months after it was suspended, the University of Kentucky’s equine testing laboratory had its accreditation restored this week, according to a report Tuesday.

According to Thoroughbred Daily News, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium ended the 9 1/2-month suspension after it said the equine analytical chemistry laboratory at UK showed it was complying with industry standards.

The lab in Lexington, Ky., was discovered by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to have been inconsistent in grading drug tests. That led to a university audit and, in turn, the firing of lab director Dr. Scott Stanley amid accusations of falsifying test results. Through his attorney Cristina Keith, Stanley denied the claims, saying they were “without evidence.”

A statement from the consortium said Monday that the UK lab “has successfully fulfilled the designated requirements for accreditation reinstatement and is in compliance with RMTC’s laboratory code of standards.”

The new accreditation is provisional. If the lab adheres to RMTC standards for one year, it will be considered for full accreditation.