The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has appealed to the chief official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to change the current requirement for operators. Currently, operators are obliged to conduct drug testing for at least 10 percent of pilots annually, but FIP insists on increasing this figure to 25 percent.
FIP has identified several medications that could potentially affect flight safety by causing drowsiness or sedation, impairing decision-making ability or reaction speed, reducing alertness, and leading to a positive or negative drug test result.
The President of FIP, Captain CS Randhawa, sent an email to the DGCA chief official, Viru Vikram Yadav. He emphasized that all stakeholders must create an awareness program for pilots regarding psychoactive substances and medications. The goal of this program is to ensure that every pilot understands that certain prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, herbal preparations, supplements, and other common products may contain substances capable of affecting performance, productivity, or yielding a positive drug or alcohol test result.
Such potentially dangerous substances include antihistamines and anti-allergic drugs, which can cause severe sedation and reduced alertness; sleeping pills and tranquilizers; strong painkillers; prescription psychiatric or neurological drugs; as well as herbal and traditional medicines, supplements, performance enhancers, and alcoholic beverages.
FIP recommended implementing a 'test before taking' principle for pilots, warning them not to start taking a new medication without checking it for such substances. Furthermore, according to the FIP president, the goal should not merely be achieving an annual numerical target, but establishing a testing regime whose reliability is maintained throughout the entire year.
