Right Now, There Are No Rules On Medical Care, Emergency Kits

A British medical association says the emergency in-flight medical care available to passengers varies between airlines and is now calling for international standards to even things out.

The British Medical Association (similar to the AMA in the US) says airlines aren't obligated to provide any emergency medical assistance to passengers who need it. CBS News reports there are no standards for medical kits which might include injectable drugs vital to lifesaving. European flight attendants must pass a basic first-aid course, while the FAA suggests American flight crews carry first aid kits. Defibrilators, which can restart a heart, are required on American flights, but not on those originating in Europe.

And yet, the number of passengers who require medical attention while in the air makes the question of standardized in-flight treatment a valid one: a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says, out of every 1,400 passengers who fly, one of them will require emergency medical help.

FMI: NEJM Extract On In-Flight Medical Events