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04-02-2010, 10:25 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: St. Paul, MN.
Posts: 4,792
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FAA medical change
Not RV related per se but it's a huge earthquake in the pilot community.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Some pilots taking medication for mild or
moderate depression will be able to fly as soon as next week under
a new government rule aimed partly at getting those taking
antidepressants to disclose the treatment.
The new policy, which takes effect Monday, reverses a ban on
flying for pilots taking medications like Prozac. Federal Aviation
Administration officials said the old rule was based on outdated
versions of antidepressants that could cause drowsiness and other
side effects.
The medications have been updated and do not pose that risk with
everyone, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told reporters Friday.
But there was a side effect to the policy that has now been
abrogated, Babbitt said. That rule had resulted in pilots taking
those medications to keep their depression and treatment a secret,
under the threat of losing their certification to fly.
"Our concern is that they haven't necessarily been candid,"
Babbitt said.
"We need to change the culture and remove the stigma associated
with depression," Babbitt said. "Pilots should be able to get the
medical treatment they need so they can safely perform their
duties."
Under the new policy, pilots who take one of four
antidepressants - Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa or Lexapro or their
generic equivalents - will be allowed to fly if they have been
successfully treated by those medications for a year without side
effects that could pose a safety hazard in the cockpit. The
antidepressants are classified as SSRIs, which help regulate mood.
In addition, the FAA will grant a sort of amnesty for pilots who
have kept their treatment for depression a secret. The agency will
not take civil enforcement action against pilots who, within six
months, disclose their diagnoses of depression and treatment.
FAA officials said they changed the policy in part to encourage
disclosure, but also because their own research by a team of
psychiatrists over the past two years showed that the
antidepressants have advanced to the point where side effects don't
affect everyone and often subside in time. The risk of safety
hazard, therefore, has subsided, the agency concluded.
Several labor unions representing aircraft owners, pilots and
crews had urged the government to lift the ban. The Army, the Civil
Aviation Authority of Australia and Transport Canada already allow
some pilots to fly who are using antidepressant medications.
A team of psychiatrists and aviation medical examiners will help
the agency monitor pilots under the new policy under a program
established 40 years ago to assess and treat pilots suffering from
alcohol and drug abuse issues, the FAA said.
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04-02-2010, 11:01 AM
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Forum Peruser
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Austinville, Alabama
Posts: 2,458
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I noticed this, too, Bob, and was a little surprised.
Although it doesn't affect me, I know of some folks who used to fly and now take some of these medications. One source I read this morning indicated each pilot's situation would be evaluated on a case by case basis, so I don't quite understand how some folks can expect to fly next week, unless perhaps the FAA has already been evaluating them.
Interesting stuff, and I hope it helps a lot of GA pilots who want to get back in the air again.
__________________
Don Hull
RV-7 Wings
KDCU Pryor Field
Pilots'n Paws Pilot
N79599/ADS-B In and Out...and I like it!
?Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights;
it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." Miriam Beard
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04-02-2010, 11:18 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 118
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WOW - Faa approves antidepressants.
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Todd Neidinger
RV-9 Flying
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04-02-2010, 11:28 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 2,089
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Unfortunately, if the FAA requires a one-year evaluation, profesional pilots likely will still hide their use of medication. I don't know about other folks, but I couldn't afford to take a year off work...
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Colin P.
RV-6A #20603
Complete 5/10/19
PP SEL / A&P
I donate every year on my B-Day (in Dec), but donated early in Sep'19.
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04-02-2010, 02:13 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Garden City, Tx
Posts: 5,147
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FAA lifts ban on anti-depression meds
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Greg Niehues - SEL, IFR, Repairman Cert.
Garden City, TX VAF 2020 dues paid 
N16GN flying 700 hrs and counting; IO360, SDS, WWRV200, Dynon HDX, 430W
Built an off-plan RV9A with too much fuel and too much HP. Should drop dead any minute now.
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04-02-2010, 03:36 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Colesville, MD
Posts: 33
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According to my reading of the articles, if you have been taking the anti-depressants without disclosure, you can use that time to count for the one year. You have six months to disclose past use without enforcement. Thus is seems like you can disclose and provide documentation of one year of successful treatment, thereby avoiding an enforcement and getting a valid medical. Seems like a win-win situation for those who have been taking anti-depressants without telling the FAA.
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Keith Nusbaum
Silver Spring, MD
RV-10 --> Finish Kit
N879GW (reserved)
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04-02-2010, 10:05 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bella Vista, AR
Posts: 20
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ADD/ADHD?
Wonder if this is the first step to extending medicals to folks taking medications for ADD and ADHD as well. I know this came up in a couple threads lately and there are numerous websites out there. Least this is a good sign the FAA is listening and not still using medical information circa 1960's.
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Mike
Bella Vista, AR
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04-02-2010, 10:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Dallas, TX (ADS)
Posts: 2,180
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WingsOnWheels
Unfortunately, if the FAA requires a one-year evaluation, profesional pilots likely will still hide their use of medication. I don't know about other folks, but I couldn't afford to take a year off work...
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I agree. Many medical issues will continue to stay hidden, just like they do now. The new rules are still quite restrictive, but they are a step in the right direction.
It's interesting that this only covered 4 meds, but not one of the most widely used ones (welbutrin), which has been used for over 10 years for acute depression (e.g., postpartum depression), smoking cessation and ADHD in addition to chronic depression.
TODR
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Doug "The Other Doug Reeves" Reeves
CTSW N621CT - SOLD but not forgotten
Home Bases LBX, BZN
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04-04-2010, 02:37 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: St. Paul, MN.
Posts: 4,792
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It's the four meds and their generic equivalents.
I don't think anybody would have to take a year off. I don't believe the change is showing effective treeatment for a year starting now. I think one could easily go back over the last year.
Of course, for many pilots, that would require admitting you've been lying.
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04-04-2010, 09:11 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Land O Lakes, FL
Posts: 27
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I believe there is a 6 month amnesty period for pilots who have been using these meds and "forgetting" to report them. 
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Jerry Allison
X39 FL
RV-12
N127RV
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