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SACAA Part 67 medication guidance · unofficial

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Phenylephrine

Part of group: Systemic decongestant

SACAA Part 67 assessment

Not acceptable / incompatible with flying duties

Alcohol plus a sedating medicine — additive effect

Alcohol multiplies the sedation and reaction-time impairment of this medicine. The two clocks run separately: the 8-hour alcohol restriction (and the 0.02 g/100 ml limit) and the medicine's own washout period — you are only clear once the later of the two has passed and you are completely side-effect free.

Contains alcohol or may contain alcohol

No aviation duty within 8 hours of any alcohol — and never above 0.02 g/100 ml blood alcohol concentration.

Many liquid medicines (cough mixtures, elixirs, tinctures, tonics, some drops and mouthwashes) contain ethanol as a solvent, and the label may only say 'ethanol', 'alcohol' or 'spiritus'. No aviation duty within 8 hours of consuming any alcohol, and never with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 g/100 ml or higher (CAR 91.02.3 / Part 67). Alcohol also multiplies the sedating effect of antihistamines, benzodiazepines, opioids and Z-drugs. Choose an alcohol-free preparation whenever one exists, and check the label of every liquid medicine before duty.

Active ingredient(s)

2 in group
PhenylephrinePseudoephedrine

Systemic decongestant

Typical grounding period: 8 hours

Driven by Alcohol / ethanol-containing preparations.

Measured from the last dose, and only once completely side-effect free.

Guidance notes

SA-CATS 67 Table A1 lists pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, dextromethorphan, codeine and theophylline among cough and cold preparation actives that are unacceptable for aviation personnel. Non-alcohol, non-central preparations (carbocysteine, guaifenesin, acetylcysteine) are acceptable instead. The underlying URTI/sinus condition is itself usually grounding (barotrauma risk).

Known SA brand names

SinutabDemazinActifedSinuclearSinustatSudafed

Our DAME partners

SACAA certified DAME list

Possible acceptable alternatives (same therapeutic group)

Alternatives are informational only. The underlying medical condition must also be assessed by a DAME — a condition can ground you even when the medicine is acceptable.

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SACAA Aviation Medicine (official reference)