EMS flight made with pilot on medication not allowed at dosage level prescribed.

Attributes
ACN	311207
Time
Date	199507
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	311207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to a severe poison oak skin reaction on my lower arms, I got a prescription for 60 mg/day of (drug name) an anti-inflammatory steroid taken orally. It did not occur to me that this could be a problem. I flew 1 day for (EMS company), and 2 days for the park service before another pilot asked me if I should be flying on this medication. We checked it out with a regional flight surgeon who explained that FAA policy was maximum dosage -- 20 mg daily while on flight status! Oops.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS FLT MADE WITH PLT ON MEDICATION NOT ALLOWED AT DOSAGE LEVEL PRESCRIBED.

Narrative: DUE TO A SEVERE POISON OAK SKIN REACTION ON MY LOWER ARMS, I GOT A PRESCRIPTION FOR 60 MG/DAY OF (DRUG NAME) AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY STEROID TAKEN ORALLY. IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT THIS COULD BE A PROB. I FLEW 1 DAY FOR (EMS COMPANY), AND 2 DAYS FOR THE PARK SVC BEFORE ANOTHER PLT ASKED ME IF I SHOULD BE FLYING ON THIS MEDICATION. WE CHKED IT OUT WITH A REGIONAL FLT SURGEON WHO EXPLAINED THAT FAA POLICY WAS MAX DOSAGE -- 20 MG DAILY WHILE ON FLT STATUS! OOPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.