| GENERAL INFORMATION
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| KEYWORDS
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Marine medical certificate, restrictions, mental health, medication
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| FILE NO.
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MH-0451-21
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| SECTOR (Marine or Aviation)
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Marine
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| SPECIFIC JOB
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Second mate and navigator
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| DIAGNOSIS (Primary, Secondary, etc.)
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Type II bipolar disorder
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| REVIEW
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| DATE OF DETERMINATION
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October 30, 2018
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| MEMBER
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Dr. Christopher Brooks
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| DETERMINATION
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Minister’s decision is confirmed.
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| REASONS FOR THE DETERMINATION
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Refusal to issue a marine medical certificate (MMC) without limitations / restriction of No Watchkeeping — Item F20-31 of the International Labour Organization and World Health Organization publication entitled Guidelines for Conducting Pre-sea and Periodic Medical Fitness Examination for Seafarers (ILO Standards) prescribes that more than three episodes of psychosis would render a seafarer permanently unfit. Ultimately, this led to the suspension of the applicant’s MMC. Following weekly counselling from his mental health case manager, and on medication with the advice of his new psychiatrists, he was issued an MMC with a “No Watchkeeping” limitation. However, the “No Watchkeeping” limitation is preventing the applicant from working in his chosen occupation. His psychiatrist’s report stated that the applicant should remain on medication for the rest of his life in order to prevent further recurrence of his illness. Consequently, the member determined that remaining on medication places him into conflict with the guidelines and standards for the issue of MMCs, and withdrawal of medication would put him in jeopardy for another relapse. For these reasons, the Minister of Transport’s decision is confirmed.
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| APPEAL
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| DATE OF DECISION
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| MEMBERS
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| DECISION
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| REASONS FOR THE DECISION
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| OTHER/COMMENTS
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