FAA updates pilot antidepressant program

By General Aviation News Staff

“Pilots who are taking an antidepressant will no longer have to have routine follow-up neuropsychological evaluations, according to new guidance from the FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine.”

The FAA reviewed a decade’s worth of data before removing the requirement for routine follow-up neuropsychological evaluations, according to a report from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). The report notes that FAA officials estimated this will save pilots about $3,000 a year in medical costs.”

“The May 31, 2023, update to the FAA’s Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners also added another antidepressant to those allowed by the FAA: Bupropion, commonly known as Wellbutrin.”

“Other antidepressants that are allowed by the agency are:”

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)

• Sertraline (Zoloft)

• Citalopram (Celexa)

• Escitalopram (Lexapro)

“During a May 9, 2023, speech at the Business Aviation Safety Summit Federal Air Surgeon, Dr. Susan Northrup announced plans to add seven more SSRIs to the approved list.”

General Aviation News Staff. (2023). “FAA updates pilot antidepressant program”. General Aviation News. https://generalaviationnews.com/2023/06/08/faa-updates-pilot-antidepressant-program/.