SafePulse Level 1 / Foundation
Harm Reduction in Performance Enhancing Substances
Build a foundation in ethical, non-judgemental harm reduction. Understand the context of image and performance enhancing drug use, recognise risks, and learn how to offer informed, respectful support.
Contact for more infoAsk about suitability, course access or learning with your team.
- Structure
- 10 modules + introduction
- Study time
- 6h 40m–9h 5m
- Learning
- Self-paced online study
- Completion
- Certificate of completion
What you'll learn.
- Apply the four ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.
- Understand how body image, social media and sporting culture shape decisions about IPED use.
- Recognise substance categories and distinguish medical, recreational and sporting contexts.
- Recognise warning signs, understand boundaries and signpost to appropriate professional support.
- Have non-judgemental conversations that support informed decisions and reduce stigma.
Who this course is for
- People seeking clear information about performance enhancing substances.
- People supporting someone who uses image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs).
- Fitness, wellbeing and healthcare practitioners building a foundation in harm reduction.
Your starting point
Start here to build your foundation in SafePulse harm reduction.
The learning journey
Inside the course.
Start with the introduction, then work through ten modules. Timings are estimates from the course materials; allow extra time for reflection and revisiting topics.
INTROWelcome to SafePulse20–30 minutes
20–30 minutes
An introduction to the course, the meaning of harm reduction and a learning environment grounded in respect.
01An ethical framework for safer enhancement practices40–50 minutes
40–50 minutes
Explore the four principles of biomedical ethics and use them to consider real-world decisions.
02Context and drivers: body image, masculinity, media and fitspiration45–60 minutes
45–60 minutes
Understand the social and cultural pressures that influence body image and enhancement choices.
03Performance enhancing substances and why people use them40–60 minutes
40–60 minutes
Build literacy in terminology, substance categories, medical origins and the reasons people use them.
04Tested and non-tested sport cultures30–40 minutes
30–40 minutes
Consider how sporting rules, testing and enforcement shape the meaning of cheating in different settings.
05TRT, clinical tensions and the grey or underground pathway35–45 minutes
35–45 minutes
Explore testosterone replacement therapy in context, barriers to care and the distinction between treatment and enhancement.
06The normalisation of IPED use beyond elite sport30–40 minutes
30–40 minutes
Examine how enhancement has moved into wider fitness and everyday life, and what this means for support.
07Rethinking harm reduction in the context of IPEDs40–50 minutes
40–50 minutes
Reflect on existing approaches, the effects of stigma and the case for accessible, person-centred education.
08Practical harm reduction without enabling50–70 minutes
50–70 minutes
Learn about professional boundaries, recognising red flags, safety-netting and ethical conversations.
09Communication, stigma, documentation and referral pathways30–40 minutes
30–40 minutes
Develop respectful communication, appropriate documentation and an understanding of when to refer.
10Final integration and course completion40–60 minutes
40–60 minutes
Bring the learning together through reflection, case-based assessment and a practical ethics reference.
Assessment and completion
Module knowledge checks and reflective exercises lead to a final assessment of 12 multiple-choice and 3 case-based questions. The pass mark is 80%, with up to 3 attempts.
Successful completion is recognised with a SafePulse certificate of completion.
Education with clear boundaries
This course provides education, not individual medical advice or permission to practise beyond your professional role. It does not provide dosing, cycle or sourcing advice, and does not promote or encourage substance use.
Take the next step
Let's talk about your learning.
Contact SafePulse for more information about Level 1, course access and suitability for you or your organisation.
Also explore / Level 2
Intermediate Harm Reduction Practice