pjbphd
2005-09-09 17:27:03 UTC
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a blanket disqualification by
for any person seeking a private pilot certification who admits to having or
being treated for depression. I urge everyone to contact the congressional
representative, Senators and the President and demand a correction to this
discriminatory practice. Here is a little of my personal background to
explain the situation.
Last year I decided to pursue a long time desire to become a private pilot.
In addition to the recreational aspects of flying, I had an opportunity for
career advancement that would have taken me far from my home for several
days a week. I had hoped to do a least a portion of this commute via
airplane.
I located a local flight school and began my lessons. I was doing quite
well but prior to my first solo flight I was required to undergo an
examination by a designated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation
Medical Examiner. During this examination I revealed that for several years
I have taken Effexor® (venlafaxine HCL) under the direction of another
physician. I was shocked to learn that this disqualifies me from receiving a
medical certificate allowing me to fly. When I informed the physician that
prescribed me the medication, he was also dumbfounded by the blanket
disqualification for anyone using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
(SSRI). In fact, after their use is discontinued, I must wait 90 days
before I can reapply for a medical certificate. I've been asymptomatic for
some time, perhaps do to Effexor®. As a result of this injustice, I was
forced to decline the job offer. My options now are to either give up on my
desire to fly or to discontinue the use of Effexor®.
Depression affects one out of ten patients who visit their doctor. In the
past, and to some extent today, there is a stigma associated with the
illness. These FAA rules reinforce that stigma. I don't want to fly, or
be in the sky with anyone that has impaired abilities due to a medication an
illness. The FAA's logic and information on the illness and its treatment
is woefully outdated. Thirty years ago, psychological medicines had crude
mechanisms of action and their side effects were so severe, that they were
only used in the gravest of psychiatric illnesses. This is no longer true.
The physician who prescribed the medication to me agrees that my cognitive
and other functions are not affected by Effexor®. Nevertheless, the FAA
apparently will not permit a waiver for its use by a pilot.
The FAA claims to allow for waivers from the blanket rule. I submitted an
evaluation from my treating physician who stated:
"He has gone for over a year without a single panic attack when he was
continuing on therapeutic doses of Effexor. He does not have side effect to
Effexor. It does not make him groggy or have other side effects such as
blurred vision which might interfere, in my opinion, with operating an
airplane or any other motor vehicle. I do not know of any other cognitive
or emotional problems that he has that would interfere with his flying."
Additionally, ALL recent medical and aviation literature I have been able to
locate, including a report prepared at the request of the Aerospace Medical
Association, suggests that in managed cases of depressive disorders, special
issuances or waivers of SSRI use are justified. This is the case in both
Canada and Australia. Nevertheless, the FAA denied me a waiver and thus my
medical certification.
I thought such a blanket disqualification may violate the Americans with
Disabilities Act. However, the ADA does not apply to Federal agencies. The
FAAs manner of enforcing their draconian measures may violate the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and /or the Administrative Procedures Act. This
may also cause a disproportionate disqualification of armed servicemen and
women returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan due to the
apparently high level of delayed stress syndrome for those in harms way.
Subsequent to the denial of my medical certificate, I filed a Freedom of
Information Act request with the FAA in September, 2004. I asked for copies
of all data and references used to make the determination not to grant pilot's
certificates to any individual who admits seeking treatment for depression
or the use of any SSRI. I also requested how this decision complies with the
FAA's policies under the Federal Data Quality Act. Finally, I asked for a
tally of requests for exceptions to the disqualification for using SSRIs the
FAA has received and the number it has granted.
The FAA responded in April. In summary, they have not considered any
pertinent literature since 1997. Furthermore, they have only granted a
single waiver for this condition.
Please write to your elected officials and demand that they correct this
injustice by requiring the FAA to evaluate medical applications individually
through contact with the treating physician. If the FAA refuses, demand a
legislative correction in the next Department of Transportation
Appropriations bill or some other legislation.
Thanks.
pjb
for any person seeking a private pilot certification who admits to having or
being treated for depression. I urge everyone to contact the congressional
representative, Senators and the President and demand a correction to this
discriminatory practice. Here is a little of my personal background to
explain the situation.
Last year I decided to pursue a long time desire to become a private pilot.
In addition to the recreational aspects of flying, I had an opportunity for
career advancement that would have taken me far from my home for several
days a week. I had hoped to do a least a portion of this commute via
airplane.
I located a local flight school and began my lessons. I was doing quite
well but prior to my first solo flight I was required to undergo an
examination by a designated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation
Medical Examiner. During this examination I revealed that for several years
I have taken Effexor® (venlafaxine HCL) under the direction of another
physician. I was shocked to learn that this disqualifies me from receiving a
medical certificate allowing me to fly. When I informed the physician that
prescribed me the medication, he was also dumbfounded by the blanket
disqualification for anyone using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
(SSRI). In fact, after their use is discontinued, I must wait 90 days
before I can reapply for a medical certificate. I've been asymptomatic for
some time, perhaps do to Effexor®. As a result of this injustice, I was
forced to decline the job offer. My options now are to either give up on my
desire to fly or to discontinue the use of Effexor®.
Depression affects one out of ten patients who visit their doctor. In the
past, and to some extent today, there is a stigma associated with the
illness. These FAA rules reinforce that stigma. I don't want to fly, or
be in the sky with anyone that has impaired abilities due to a medication an
illness. The FAA's logic and information on the illness and its treatment
is woefully outdated. Thirty years ago, psychological medicines had crude
mechanisms of action and their side effects were so severe, that they were
only used in the gravest of psychiatric illnesses. This is no longer true.
The physician who prescribed the medication to me agrees that my cognitive
and other functions are not affected by Effexor®. Nevertheless, the FAA
apparently will not permit a waiver for its use by a pilot.
The FAA claims to allow for waivers from the blanket rule. I submitted an
evaluation from my treating physician who stated:
"He has gone for over a year without a single panic attack when he was
continuing on therapeutic doses of Effexor. He does not have side effect to
Effexor. It does not make him groggy or have other side effects such as
blurred vision which might interfere, in my opinion, with operating an
airplane or any other motor vehicle. I do not know of any other cognitive
or emotional problems that he has that would interfere with his flying."
Additionally, ALL recent medical and aviation literature I have been able to
locate, including a report prepared at the request of the Aerospace Medical
Association, suggests that in managed cases of depressive disorders, special
issuances or waivers of SSRI use are justified. This is the case in both
Canada and Australia. Nevertheless, the FAA denied me a waiver and thus my
medical certification.
I thought such a blanket disqualification may violate the Americans with
Disabilities Act. However, the ADA does not apply to Federal agencies. The
FAAs manner of enforcing their draconian measures may violate the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and /or the Administrative Procedures Act. This
may also cause a disproportionate disqualification of armed servicemen and
women returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan due to the
apparently high level of delayed stress syndrome for those in harms way.
Subsequent to the denial of my medical certificate, I filed a Freedom of
Information Act request with the FAA in September, 2004. I asked for copies
of all data and references used to make the determination not to grant pilot's
certificates to any individual who admits seeking treatment for depression
or the use of any SSRI. I also requested how this decision complies with the
FAA's policies under the Federal Data Quality Act. Finally, I asked for a
tally of requests for exceptions to the disqualification for using SSRIs the
FAA has received and the number it has granted.
The FAA responded in April. In summary, they have not considered any
pertinent literature since 1997. Furthermore, they have only granted a
single waiver for this condition.
Please write to your elected officials and demand that they correct this
injustice by requiring the FAA to evaluate medical applications individually
through contact with the treating physician. If the FAA refuses, demand a
legislative correction in the next Department of Transportation
Appropriations bill or some other legislation.
Thanks.
pjb