FAA launches searchable medication guide for pilots and controllers

The Federal Aviation Administration has published an online reference, called MedGuide, that lets US pilots and air traffic controllers look up medications and the waiting times attached to them. The searchable tool covers both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and sets out how long a person should wait after a first dose or a later one before going back on duty.

Only drugs the FAA classes as allowed appear in this initial release. The agency said conditionally acceptable and unacceptable medications will be added in later updates, meaning a drug that is not listed cannot be assumed to be barred from use while flying.

The FAA said a new medication normally calls for a 48-hour observation period before a return to safety-related duties, though guidance for a specific drug may require a longer or shorter interval. The condition being treated may also need extra time before it can be shown to be stable.

An allowed drug on its own does not make a pilot or controller fit for duty, according to the agency. Users still have to weigh their medical condition and any side effects, and MedGuide is intended as a reference rather than a replacement for an individual medical assessment or a doctor's advice.

The National Business Aviation Association drew attention to the resource on October 15, 2026. Mark Larsen, the group's director of safety and flight operations, described it as still a work in progress but said it gives aviators a way to make safe decisions about medication use. He added that it simplifies how restrictions are understood, including the differing waits for a first dose and subsequent ones.