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Flight #19 - Wellbutrin: Newest FAA Approved Antidepressant for Pilots
Many note that Wellbutrin has been used for quite some time to treat several mental health conditions. So why did it take so long for the FAA to approve Wellbutrin? I’ve heard some people claim this is because the pilot who crashed the Germanwings plane in 2015 was taking Wellbutrin. But I haven’t found evidence for that. A New York Times article https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/14/world/europe/germanwings-crash-inquiry-urges-stricter-oversight-of-pilots-mental-health.html# says, “Toxicological examination of Mr. Lubitz’s remains found traces of the antidepressants mirtazapine [Remeron] and citalopram [Celexa] as well as zopiclone, an insomnia treatment [similar to Lunesta].
And besides, the FAA approved the SSRIs 5 years before the Germanwings crash, and the U.S. Air Force has been allowing pilots to fly while taking Wellbutrin since 2013, 2 years before the Germanwings crash, and they did not stop allowing after this crash. So, I ask again, why did it take so long for the FAA to approve Wellbutrin?
To read the full transcript go to The Flight Shrink substack at https://flightshrink.substack.com
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in The Flight Shrink are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, The United States Air Force, or any other organization with which Dr. Heacock is associated. The content of The Flight Shrink is not medical advice. The Flight Shrink is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations. Use of the information is at the reader’s own risk. Any recommendations of treatments, products, or services are made in general and may not apply to a specific person, situation, or illness. Please seek care from a medical professional if you have concerns for any physical or mental health symptoms.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741. For those in countries other than the U.S. here is a Google site with helplines:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flightshrink.substack.com
View all episodes
By Kevin Heacock MD
5
44 ratings
Many note that Wellbutrin has been used for quite some time to treat several mental health conditions. So why did it take so long for the FAA to approve Wellbutrin? I’ve heard some people claim this is because the pilot who crashed the Germanwings plane in 2015 was taking Wellbutrin. But I haven’t found evidence for that. A New York Times article https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/14/world/europe/germanwings-crash-inquiry-urges-stricter-oversight-of-pilots-mental-health.html# says, “Toxicological examination of Mr. Lubitz’s remains found traces of the antidepressants mirtazapine [Remeron] and citalopram [Celexa] as well as zopiclone, an insomnia treatment [similar to Lunesta].
And besides, the FAA approved the SSRIs 5 years before the Germanwings crash, and the U.S. Air Force has been allowing pilots to fly while taking Wellbutrin since 2013, 2 years before the Germanwings crash, and they did not stop allowing after this crash. So, I ask again, why did it take so long for the FAA to approve Wellbutrin?
To read the full transcript go to The Flight Shrink substack at https://flightshrink.substack.com
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in The Flight Shrink are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, The United States Air Force, or any other organization with which Dr. Heacock is associated. The content of The Flight Shrink is not medical advice. The Flight Shrink is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations. Use of the information is at the reader’s own risk. Any recommendations of treatments, products, or services are made in general and may not apply to a specific person, situation, or illness. Please seek care from a medical professional if you have concerns for any physical or mental health symptoms.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741. For those in countries other than the U.S. here is a Google site with helplines:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flightshrink.substack.com