Jeffrey Lockman

I applaud the FAA for recognizing that pilots taking SSRI antidepressants can function at a normal level and pursue their profession just like other pilots. Depression is a disease, but one that can be moderated, controlled and lived with by millions of people with proper medication. I was a Navy pilot for 8 years before entering pharmaceutical sales for a 15 year career. I sold Zoloft to physicians and as part of my job, became very familiar with the benefits of antidepressant therapy. Prior to 1989 and the release of Prozac by Eli Lilly there were limited options in treating depression. The tricyclic antidepressants carried a host of side effects, not the least of which was somnolence. Of course, this made their use by pilots unacceptable. With the release of Prozac and subsequent SSRI antidepressants the face of treatment for depression changed. Family practice physicians could successfully treat depressed patients without referring them to a psychiatrist. This resulted in improved perceptions of depression and established a strong bond between FP physicians and their depressed patients. Patients could be successfully treated more quickly because they didn't have to take the extra step of seeing a psychiatrist. Patients with Major Depression that is mild to moderate have found that they can quickly see vast improvements in their mood and outlook on life with the use of SSRIs without the debilitating side effects associated with older medications. In fact, most patients taking SSRI antidepressants report that their quality of life has increased dramatically and that their feelings of fatigue, worthlessness and inability to enjoy everyday activities are eliminated. A pilot taking antidepressants can function just as well as a pilot not taking them. Their reflexes are just as sharp, their deciision making abilities just as proficient and their enjoyment of life just as full. Kudos to the FAA for taking this important step.