THE CANADIAN FORCES AEROMEDICAL POLICY AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE

In the late 1990's the CF's 'Aeromedical review board' was struggling with a number of aircrew medical standards and medical issues over which they had little or no authority to effect change. The approach as well as the governance to introduce new ,or changes to existing 'aeromedical' policies, needed review. It was the serious nature of these concerns that pushed the Aeroemedical board to approach the Air Force in forming a joint committee on which operators and aerospace medical specialists could sit to discuss and resolve issues of mutual interest. Thus the Aeromedical Policy and Standards Committee, co-chaired by an Air Force Flag Officer and the Command Surgeon of the Air Force, was formed in April 2002. Since then the APSC has been the driver for several important changes to the CF's aircrew medical standards such as pilot entry visual standards, anthropometric standards for aircrew, laser refractive surgery and the enabling force for several aeromedical policies concerning aircrew such as the approach to handling of pilots that exceeded the weight limits for ejections seats and the policy on handling of aircrew that had undergone alcohol rehabilitation treatment to name just a few of its successes.