Think About This Next Time You Fly: There Are So Many Suicidally Depressed Airline Pilots Out There, FAA Figured It’s Safer To Pump Them Full Of Prozac While They Fly You…Hey, It’s Cheaper Than Restoring Their Wages & Benefits…[HT: Jack]

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Think About This Next Time You Fly: There Are So Many Suicidally Depressed Airline Pilots Out There, FAA Figured It’s Safer To Pump Them Full Of Prozac While They Fly You…Hey, It’s Cheaper Than Restoring Their Wages & Benefits…[HT: Jack]

Fuck It, Life's Not Worth Living

www.foxnews.com -- Airline pilots will be able to take antidepressants under new federal rules announced Friday, though the Federal Aviation Administration says it will try to make sure the side-effects don't "manifest themselves" at 35,000 feet.Under the prior rules, pilots were not allowed to take antidepressant, and any pilot who admitted to having depression or being treated for it could be grounded.But the FAA hopes to encourage pilots to get treated -- so long as they follow certain steps. The top airline regulator has no idea how many active pilots have been diagnosed with depression or are secretly medicating, because the pilots have a strong incentive to hide the truth.Starting Monday, pilots who come forward and admit they're taking medication for mild to moderate depression will be eligible for a special medical certificate."We know more today about the science of the medications being given and we know a lot more about depression itself," FAA administrator Randy Babbitt said. "The policy is changing -- I mean our number one priority is safety, and the public certainly has the right to know that everybody in the cockpit is healthy, both mentally and physically."

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1. Coke-n-acid | April 2nd, 2010 at 8:34 pm
bullshit
2. Max Moore | April 2nd, 2010 at 9:23 pm
i think you came at this headline from the wrong angle. this story is more relevant as a pr move for airline shareholders then it is designed to have effect. if i were a depressed pilot the last thing i would do is lose my job potentially for a year. i doubt anything close to 10% will utilize this program. totally a relevant story and thanks for bringing it to my attention but the spin of your headline bothers me.
3. Max Moore | April 2nd, 2010 at 9:31 pm
And after a few more thoughts I think this will be counter productive, by ignoring these pilots real source of pain it will only get worse. This reminds me of the guy who went postal during sensitivity training at Lockheed-Martin. You don’t want to do this.