FAA Must Publish Public List of Pilot-Approved Medications Within One Year to Boost Transparency

If you’ve ever had to deal with the FAA’s medical certification process for pilots or air traffic controllers, you know it can feel like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded. Specifically, figuring out which medications—even common ones—are okay to take while maintaining a medical certificate is often a huge headache.

The Aviation Medication Transparency Act of 2025 aims to fix this by forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create a public, user-friendly list of medications approved for use by pilots and air traffic controllers. This isn't just about prescription drugs; the list must cover both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications that the FAA has determined are safe for people holding these safety-critical roles.

The End of Guesswork: What’s In and What’s Out

The core of this legislation, outlined in Section 2, is transparency. The FAA Administrator has one year from the bill’s enactment to publish this comprehensive list on a publicly accessible FAA website and must update it annually thereafter. For anyone training to be a pilot or an air traffic controller, this means getting clear guidance right when they first apply for a medical certificate.

Think about it: right now, a pilot might start a new, necessary medication—say, for blood pressure or depression—and have to wait weeks or months for the FAA to confirm if they can keep flying. This bill requires the list to clearly indicate not only which medications are allowed, but also, if applicable, the minimum and average time a pilot or controller must be grounded or on limited duty to safely stabilize on a new drug. This helps manage expectations and career planning.

Consultation and the “Do Not Issue” List

The FAA isn't designing this in a vacuum. The bill mandates consultation with key groups, including the Aeromedical Innovation and Modernization Working Group, aviation colleges, and certified bargaining representatives (unions) for air traffic controllers and pilots. This ensures that the list is medically sound and practical for the people who actually use it.

Crucially, the list must also include the FAA's existing "Do Not Issue" list of prohibited medications. This is the flip side of transparency: making it crystal clear which drugs automatically disqualify someone from holding a medical certificate. The goal is to provide a single source of truth, cutting down on confusion and potentially preventing someone from inadvertently taking a prohibited substance.

The Fine Print and Administrative Burden

While the bill is overwhelmingly beneficial for aviation personnel, it does place a significant administrative burden on the FAA. Creating a comprehensive, user-friendly list that covers all approved medications and stabilization periods, and then keeping it updated annually, is a major undertaking. The bill also gives the FAA broad discretion to include "any additional information the FAA finds appropriate," which could lead to some flexibility in what supplementary details are included or excluded.

However, for the average pilot or controller, this bill simplifies a complex and often anxiety-inducing part of their career. It takes the guesswork out of healthcare decisions, allowing them to better manage their health knowing exactly where they stand with their medical certificate.