Aviation Health Working Group minutes: 16 January 2004

Print Print page   Download PDF PDF image

Aviation Health Working Group Meeting

16 January 2004, DfT, Great Minster House

Present

   

Chair

Peter Smith

DfT/MLD

Secretary

Robert Baker

DfT/MLD
 

Philip Stables

DfT/MLD
 

Dr Bill Maton-Howarth

DoH
 

Alison Tingle

DoH
 

Dr Annette Ruge

CAA/AHU
 

Tom Hamilton

CAA/SRG
 

Dr Tony Evans

CAA/SRG
 

Steve James

CAA/SRG
 

Graeme Henderson

HSE
 

Roger Wiltshire

BATA
 

Dr Nigel Dowdall

BATA
 

Sandy Mitchell

BALPA
 

Dr Tony Goodwin

BALPA
 

Peter North

BAR UK
 

Brendon Gold

TGWU

Apologies

   
 

Michael Smethers

DfT/MLD
 

Simon Evans

AUC
 

George Blundell-Pound

Thomas Cook Airlines

Item 1: Minutes of the previous inclusive meeting (19 September 2003)

  1. At the previous inclusive meeting George Blundell-Pound had said that Charter airlines kept passenger information for two months. Dr Ruge asked what information was held by the low cost airlines.

Action: Roger Wiltshire said that he would make enquires and report back.

Item 2: Chair's introductory remarks

  1. The Chair introduced Dr Ruge who has recently joined CAA as Head of the Aviation Health Unit and welcomed Brendon Gold, National Secretary for Civil Air Transport at the Transport and General Workers Union.
  2. The Chair reported that Baroness Andrews had answered questions on Deep Vein Thrombosis in the House of Lords on 3rd December. John Smith MP had been unable to secure a Second Reading of his Aviation Health Bill, however he continues to press for support for an Early Day Motion to amend the Montreal Convention.
  3. The Melbourne Appeal Court ruled in December that the conditions claimed as the cause for deep vein thrombosis could not be defined as an 'accident' under terms of the Warsaw Convention and therefore airlines were not liable. This provided continuity for case law on DVT.
  4. The December edition of the Lancet included a paper from the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. The aim of their study was to establish the frequency and role of risk factors for venous thromboembolism related to air travel in a group of long distance air travellers. The results suggest that there is an association between multiple long distance air flights and DVT even in individuals with a low to moderate risk and that the role of traditional risk factors and preventative measures needs further investigation. Dr Ruge commented that the research was well developed but the findings could only be linked to air flights if there was a control group. It was therefore regrettable that there was no control group in the study.

Item 3: CAA Aviation Health Unit

  1. The Chair reported that the Aviation Health Unit started on 1 December under the leadership of Dr Ruge. Dr Ruge said that the responsibilities of the unit are to:
    • act as a focal point for aviation health issues;
    • inform the AHWG as requested;
    • offer advice to air passengers and crew and to be the first port of call for public enquiries;
    • investigate potential new aviation health concerns;
    • provide technical input into international organisations;
    • identify the need for and manage future research;
    • maintain good relations with the aviation industry on aviation health matters; and
    • engage in dialogue with people providing information.
  3. Dr Ruge said that her initial priority would be to provide information by providing a page on the CAA website of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) with links to other relevant pages such as those on the CAA, DfT, BA and research websites.

Action: Dr Ruge will arrange for AHU website to be active within the next few weeks.

  1. Dr Ruge said that she has been asked by DfT to lead on behalf of the UK on the ECAC APHI (Air Passenger Health Issues) Working Group. Dr Ruge did not intend to become involved in standard setting as this would be handled at a European level and was not an immediate requirement. She may, however, pursue the plans of some airlines to place "entertainment boxes" under every second aisle seat, which would restrict passenger movement.
  2. Dr Ruge said that the CAA Medical Department is currently providing administrative help in the setting up of the Unit. However, staffing was under review, and there may be a need for a Secretary and some other administrative staff.

Action: It was agreed that the Unit's Terms of Reference would be circulated.

[Secretariat Note: The press notice in March 2003 outlining the activities of the Aviation Health Unit set out the current Terms of Reference for the Unit. The contents have been incorporated into paragraph 7].

Item 4: Research

Air Quality Report [Paper: AHWG 22-2]

  1. Dr Maton-Howarth said that following completion of the review process, the CabinAir Report is due to be published in January/February on the DfT website with a press notice. The report, and any comments received after publication, will be passed to the Aviation Health Unit for information.
  2. Dr Maton-Howarth said that the European BRE study on CabinAir was due to report this year. The American ASHRAE study is still in its early stages.

Action: Dr Maton-Howarth to revise the wording of the covering note, which would form the basis of the press notice. BATA to be kept informed on progress with the press notice.

WHO - WRIGHT Project

  1. The scientists at the Leiden centre have decided not to pursue the full Frequent Flyers study after receiving poor results from the pilot study. The Chair reported that he and Dr Maton-Howarth visited Frits Rosendaal at Leiden on 22 October and were happy with the alternative plan that was presented to them. The new research was scientifically convincing and statistically larger. A revised protocol has been endorsed formally by the Scientific Committee. A Project Management Group was expected to convene by May.

Effectiveness of Health Information [Paper: AHWG 22-3]

  1. The paper was discussed. BATA felt that the research was of qualitative value. The research would be put on the DfT website as soon as possible but there would not be a press notice.

Action: BATA, as co-sponsors, would be kept informed about the timing of publication.

Action: DfT to consider whether the results of the study should be explained to the All Parliamentary Group on DVT.

Aspirin [Paper: AHWG 22-4]

  1. Dr Maton-Howarth said that he had asked for a review of the available advice to people about the taking of Aspirin prior to flying, following the Research Works research into DVT awareness. His colleague, Alison Tingle, presented the paper, which outlined her research based on a literature review and a review of advice being disseminated on websites.
  2. Dr Ruge said that the taking of Aspirin was more prevalent in the UK compared with the rest of Europe. Dr Dowdall called for a definitive statement, but although DoH agreed this would be desirable it would be difficult to justify such a policy when the number of people taking Aspirin before a flight had not been quantified.

Action: Dr Maton-Howarth to look at current advice on DoH website with a view to revising it on a precautionary basis.

Action: AHWG Research sub-group to consider whether further research required.

Item 5: Any other Business

  1. Dr Ruge, Dr Evans and Roger Wiltshire attended the Health Awareness and Travel event held at Portcullis House on 10 December. There were few parliamentarians and John Smith MP left after his opening address. There was a good selection of speakers with a highly qualified scientific interest in attendance and little controversy. Only Roger Wiltshire had spoken to defend the airlines. The event highlighted that there was no shared view amongst health practitioners about a causal link between DVT and flying and what preventative measures should be taken.
  2. Steve James said that the BBC Panorama programme was considering an edition on organophoshates based on an Aviation Organophosphate Information Site (AOPIS) video. The CAA was also to present evidence to a BALPA taskforce on the subject.

Action: Dr Evans would inform Brendon Gold about the outcome of his meeting with the BA unions on CabinAir.

  1. The Chair reported that due to internal reorganisation, the staff of MLD3 would transfer shortly to Civil Aviation Division to deal exclusively with consumer issues under Ann Godfrey. As a result it is doubtful whether Mike Smethers would continue in his role of the Chair in future meetings.

Action: The meeting agreed to put on record its thanks to Mike Smethers for his Chairmanship of past meetings.

Item 6: Dates of next meetings

  1. Dates for meetings are:
    • 2 April 10:30 am Exclusive Meeting
    • 14 May 10:30 am Inclusive Meeting
    • 16 July 10:30 am Exclusive Meeting

MLD3

January 2004