Washington, DC (Sports Network) - The NFL Players Association filed a
grievance against the NFL's teams and the NFL Management Council for forcing
players to sign waivers when being prescribed Toradol.
Toradol is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is used as a short-term
treatment for moderate to severe pain.
It is usually used following surgery, but it can also be applied for other
causes of pain.
The NFLPA is seeking to make null and void previously executed liability
waivers players were required to sign before team physicians issued Toradol to
them.
The NFLMC assured the NFLPA earlier in the season that the collective
bargaining agreement instructed teams that players could not be asked to sign
such waivers, but this direction has yet to be given to the physicians, who
are also bound to the terms of the CBA since they are "agents of NFL clubs."
Toradol has been known to increase risk of life-threatening heart or
circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke, or increase your risk
of serious effects on the stomach or intestines.
The players association said in a statement Wednesday, "If an NFL Club
physician believes a player would be placed at an unacceptable medical risk by
using Toradol as part of the care and treatment of an injury, or if the club
physician is concerned about the long-term effects of such use, the team's
medical staff should inform the player of that opinion and refuse to
administer Toradol.
"The NFL Club physician should not administer Toradol and require that a
player sign a waiver of liability before doing so. If, on the other hand,
there is no such concern on the part of the club's medical staff, it should
advise the player that the use of Toradol is appropriate."
The Sports Network