Background
Benzodiazepines (including diazepam, lorazepam, temazepam, and clonazepam) are medicines which have been in use since the 1960s for a wide range of conditions, such as alcohol withdrawal, epilepsy, and muscle spasms.
These medications can have negative effects on memory, co-ordination, concentration, and reaction times, as well as being sedating. They are addictive and withdrawal can lead to seizures, hallucinations, agitation, and confusion.
Unfortunately, benzodiazepines have widely become drugs of abuse.
Policy decision
Patients often approach their GP to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying or to assist with medical procedures or scans. It is not recommended that we prescribe diazepam in these situations and therefore the surgery has made the decision that we will no longer be prescribing for the reasons mentioned below.
Fear of flying
- The national prescribing guidance followed by GPs (The British National Formulary – BNF) states that all benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed) in the treatment of phobias. Benzodiazepines are only licensed for short-term use in generalised anxiety crisis. If this is the case for you, we advise that you seek support for your mental health, and it would not be advisable to go on a flight. Your GP would be taking a significant medico-legal risk by prescribing against these national guidelines.
- Diazepam is a sedative and it can delay reaction times. If an emergency were to occur during your flight, this could impair your ability to follow instructions and reach safety.
- Diazepam has the potential to make your more sleepy and can induce non-REM sleep and therefore cause you to move less. This can be associated with an increased risk of DVT (blood clot) whether in an aeroplane or not.
- Going on a plane normally involves your blood oxygen levels decreasing from around 98% to as low as 90% due to the high altitudes. Diazepam works to depress your breathing and therefore can put you at increased risk of hypoxia (very low oxygen levels), which, in combination with a pre-existing lung issue, can be dangerous.
- In some people, diazepam can have the opposite effect and make them more agitated or even aggressive, more so in combination with alcohol. This is called a paradoxical effect and can be very inconsistent, even if diazepam has been used in the past.
Help with fear of flying
We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a fear of flying course run by the airlines. These courses are aviation-industry approved and are run by several airlines. The positive effects of the courses continue after the courses have been completed. We have listed a number of these below:
| Airline | Telephone | Website |
|---|---|---|
| EasyJet | 0203 813 1644 | Fearless Flyer |
| British Airways | 01252 793 250 | Flying with confidence |
Ultimately, if you still feel unable to fly, then it may be appropriate to consider alternative routes of transport.
If you still wish to consider diazepam for fear of flying, we suggest consulting with a private GP or a private travel clinic, who may be able to help you further. These services are private and not offered by the NHS. The private clinics may then liaise with the airlines directly to arrange a medically-trained escort for a passenger who is taking sedative medications, which can be expensive.
Sedation in medical procedures (inc. dentistry) and scans
We do not provide sedative medications such as diazepam for use in other situations, such as for dental/hospital procedures or scans.
The Royal College of Radiologists sets out clear guidance for sedation in hospital radiology departments, which states “sedation and analgesia should be administered by a competent and well-trained sedation and oversight provided by a sedation committee within the institution.”
The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee for Sedation in Dentistry has a similar guideline, which states “the monitoring and discharge requirements for oral sedation are the same as for intravenous sedation. Oral sedation must only be administered in the place where the dental treatment is provided and must only be carried out by practitioners who are already competent in intravenous sedation.”
As a result, responsibility for this type of treatment lies with your dentist or hospital staff, and not your GP. If you feel this is required, we suggest consulting with your dentist or the hospital teams in good time before any scans or treatments occur.
Page last reviewed: 6 November 2025