Request for Public Comment on Medication Use

Maritime Topics Maritime Training & Licensing
1

The Coast Guard recently published the attached Federal Register notice seeking public comment on a proposed policy clarification with respect to medication use by mariners. Specifically, it is seeking input to proposed changes to Enclosure (4) to NVIC 04-08, Medical and Physical Evaluation Guidelines for Merchant Mariner Credentials.

Apologize for all the legalize in it—it was written by lawyers and doctors.

I’ve attached document. It can be commented on here: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=USCG-2014-0720-0001

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4168[/ATTACH]

2

Good read. May help with the frequent questions we see on the forum regarding waivers.

Only point I did not see clarified was instances of prescribed opiate use for short term pain management. Two years ago I was given a 3 day script of Tylenol with codeine after a dental procedure. I was working on a ferry at the time and my final dose was about 12 hours prior to reporting back to duty.

Even with the proposed clarification, the protocol for cases like that are not clear.