| GENERAL INFORMATION
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| KEYWORDS
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Category 1 aviation medical certificate, mental health
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| FILE NO.
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Q-4414-01
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| SECTOR (Marine or Aviation)
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Aviation
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| SPECIFIC JOB
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Commercial pilot
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| DIAGNOSIS (Primary, Secondary, etc.)
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Psychosis with mania
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| REVIEW
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| DATE OF DETERMINATION
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November 20, 2018
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| MEMBER
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Dr. Christopher Brooks
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| DETERMINATION
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The Minister’s decision is confirmed.
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| REASONS FOR THE DETERMINATION
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Cancellation of an aviation medical certificate — In the applicant’s last aviation medical examination report in 2015, he was considered fit for a category 1 medical certificate. Following his hospitalization later that year where he was presenting symptoms of an acute history of mania and psychotic behaviour, the applicant was reassessed as unfit in June 2016. None of the psychiatrists who have reviewed the applicant’s file suggest that this was a one-off incident; all are of the opinion that there is a likelihood that it may reoccur. The risk is far too high to consider returning his aviation medical certificate. The Regional Aviation Medical Officer used every tool in the handbook to exercise flexibility and accommodation to allow the applicant to fly. This decision was not made without reconsidering all sides of his case. The Aviation Medical Review Board report states that “Patients who develop mania tend to have poor insight into their illness and do not tend to seek mental health care early or on their own (as seen in this case history). Finally, the presence of psychosis with mania raises the associated risk to flight safety to a completely unacceptable level”. The member agrees with this assessment. 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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| OTHER/COMMENTS
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