Allowable drugs

[TheGorrilla]

Hi,

Sorry if this has been posted before, I'm trying to find a list of medication that is acceptable to take flying on an EASA licence for a UK operator.

Any ideas where to look? The UK CAA website isn't too helpful.

[TheGorrilla]

Legal ones to start with! For treatment of illnesses. I thought there was a comprehensive list somewhere.

[gingernut]

There doesn't seem to be such a list. Of course there are some noteable exceptions.

I suspect the authorities would be more interested in the underlying condition.

[cavortingcheetah]

Perhaps there is a problem with publishing a definitive list because certain drugs inter react with others and sometimes produce side effects which are unforeseen by the individual specialist who might have prescribed each one for a specific problem. That is one reason why, if you have slightly complex maladies, your pharmacist needs to know you.
The Daily Mail has a medical columnist who seems to believe that Viagra is conducive to malignant melanoma. Perhaps if you turn up for a Class I looking tanned and healthy but admit to taking the odd blue erector for the virgins in red you'll be in trouble with the AME?

[Radgirl]

There are literally tens of thousands of drugs, so I am not sure how helpful such a list would be. The CAA has quite good information about what drugs can be used to treat specific conditions so I would start with your medical problem and look up which drugs are acceptable and which are not. However, the definitive answer must be your AME or DAME as you may find that although the drug is OK the underlying condition is not.

Unless you are taking drugs without a medical condition.........

[mad_jock]

I was told that the only medicine you can take without getting an AME's approval is water.

Everything else has to be run by one.

In real life there are some that people regularly use including some banned ones.

my experience is that some drugs will be veto'd by some medics and allowed by others.

I have limited personal experience in this area due to not having had to take much apart from antibiotics occasionally and decongestants (which I might add are the ones that some are banned but quite a few use)

And it also seems to be country dependant as well what they say you can take. Vick strangely enough is banned by some country's.

[Radgirl]

Like almost every area of aviation, regulators in different countries have differing rules. Drugs also vary from country to country, and indeed some drugs which you can buy over the counter in New Zealand will get you arrested in others.

However, the rules are quite clear, and DAMEs and AMEs should not vary. For example, statins are allowed in EASA land, and all you have to do is report you are on them. However, if you are taking them because you had a heart attack, you may be grounded regulators also like people not to fly for two weeks when starting drugs but for many substances this is mumbo jumbo and we know a lot of pilots flaunt it

I am still not sure why OP started this thread. May be he will tell us.....

[Phororhacos]

This post only applies to UK CAA rules.

Whilst the UK CAA public domain website does not have an exhaustive list of allowable drugs, many allowable drugs (which still need to be discussed with your AME) are listed in the guidance notes for individual conditions,

eg for digestive conditions..
Medication used in GI conditions | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

for blood pressure

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2499/Hypertension%20FC.pdf

for cardiac rhythm issues
Arrhythmia Medication | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

for psychological/psychiatric issues and sleeping tablets

Centrally Acting Medication | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

and there are more. I suggest you look at the condition you are interested in the medication for and then follow the links here..

Guidance for Medical Certification of aircrew | Medical | Personal Licences and Training


edited to update links and clarify.