A Double-Blind Study of the Effects of Loratadine versus Placebo on the Performance of Pilots

The effects of a single 10-mg dose of loratadine on the performance of commercial and military pilots was compared with placebo in this randomized double-blind trial. Performance was evaluated by flight simulator tests carried out before and after pilots received active drug or placebo. Simulators were specific for the DC-10, Boeing 747, and AT-26 Xavante fighter aircraft; all reproduced the respective conditions of flight. Pilots’ performance, rated by observers blinded to the test, was judged to be within operating standards. The findings were compatible with those of previous studies that found no sedating effects of loratadine that would impact adversely on automobile driving performance. This and other studies reinforce the pharmacokinetic observation that loratadine does not cross the blood-brain barrier, does not cause sedation, and, therefore, does not impair functional ability. These findings strongly suggest that loratadine use is compatible with the activity of pilots.