FAA clarifies diabetes and neurofibromatosis workflows in AME guide

The Federal Aviation Administration clarified two noncardiac medical-workflow updates for Aviation Medical Examiners during the January Grand Rounds.

Dr. Greg Bindrick told attendees the diabetes worksheet label was changed from a wording implying only oral medications to "diabetes or hyperglycemia on medications," explicitly covering injectable non-insulin agents such as GLP-1 receptor agonists. He said these non-insulin injectable therapies and oral agents generally pose much lower hypoglycemia risk and can be handled using the revised worksheet.

"Our big concern is insulin," Bindrick said, describing insulin as a medication that triggers a different workflow because of hypoglycemia and cognitive-effect risks; when insulin is prescribed, AMEs must follow the separate insulin-specific evaluation pathway laid out in the AME guide.

Bindrick also described a change for neurofibromatosis type 1: instead of requiring an annual I evaluation, the FAA will place the condition on an AASI and accept a detailed neurologist clinical progress note current within 90 days to confirm there is no new progression or new symptoms.

The FAA encouraged AMEs to upload reports to applicant exam records and to send suggested AME guide improvements to ameguide@fa.gov. The public portion of the session closed after brief administrative remarks and commemorations of historical safety events.