The NFL and Players Union reached an agreement on installing additional "improvements" to the league's program on anabolic steroids. Improvements include:
- Ten players, per team, will be randomly tested during the preseason, regular season and post-season. Last year, the league modified the program from two players max to six players. This will add up to 12,000 tests conducted by the league annually.
- Carbon isotope ratio testing will be used randomly to detect low doses of testosterone. Previously Carbon Isotope Ratio Testing was used to confirm positive tests.
- Erythropoietin (EPO) added to the banned substance list.
- A minimum $500,000 will be granted to the UCLA Olympic testing laboratory and other researchers for the development of testing methods to detect HGH.
- Automatic forfeiture of a prorated portion of a player's signing bonus if he is suspended for violating the steroid or substance abuse policy.
Information provided by NFL Media and NFL.com.