Why pilot samples that fail drug test have to be sent to labs abroad

DGCA rules highlight limited capabilities among private labs in India to confirm drug tests

It has been six months since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA’s) rules regarding the use of drugs by aviation professionals came into force on January 31. According to these rules, commercial airlines and air navigation service providers have to carry out random drug tests on at least 10 per cent of their flight crew and air traffic controllers every year.

In recent weeks, three airline pilots have tested positive for psychotropic substances. In the case of all three crew members, the samples were sent overseas for a confirmatory test using the gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid