Nội dung text 23. POISONS INFORMATION- ORGANIZATION & INFORMATION RESOURCES.pdf
PHARMD GURU Page 1 POISONS INFORMATION- ORGANIZATION & INFORMATION RESOURCES DEFINITION: The poison information Centre is a specialized unit providing information on poisoning to the whole community. FUNCTIONS: Provision of toxicological information and advise. Management of poisoning cases. Provision of laboratory analytical services. Toxicovigilance activities. Research education and training in the prevention &treatment of poisoning. Patient management. Drug information and pharmacovigilance. BENEFITS: It offers considerable direct health benefits by reducing morbidity & mortality from poisoning. Specific antidotes, therapeutic agents and medical equipment can be made more easily available through coordination of stocks. Help to prevent the unnecessary use of special antidotes and of sophisticated and expensive treatments. Access to information and advice at poison information centers stimulates the interest of local communities and makes them more committed to the prevention of poisoning. Help in promoting the awareness of special requirements concerning the control and regulation of chemicals. DRUG & POISON INFORMATION
PHARMD GURU Page 2 ESTABLISHING A POISON INFORMATION CENTER: A poison information Centre should be available in every country irrespective of its size or population. LOCATION: The Centre should be located at a leading hospital with emergency & intensive care services as well as the medical library and lab. It should be linked directly with the hospital department where poison patients are treated. The lab facilities of such hospitals should allow toxicological analysis. It should operate 24hrs a day all year round. STAFF: PIC needs a multidisciplinary team of poison information specialist lead by physicians with toxicological experience. The team may include physicians, nurses, analysts, pharmacists’ veterinarians and other scientists from various fields including biology, chemistry, medicine and pharmacology. A poison information specialist helps to prepare & provide information & advise on preventing and dealing with poisoning. A poison information specialist should work under the supervision of medical toxicologist. Minimum of 2 poison information specialists should be on duty to answer calls. EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES: Suitable office furniture & facilities for the storage of confidential data. Specific areas should arrange for answering telephone enquiries, consultation with patients, and preparation of documents, staff meetings and secretarial and administrative work. Additional desk space is needed at centers using computer equipment and online databases, air conditioning and humidity control may also be necessary.
PHARMD GURU Page 3 PIC’s should their own libraries & facilities for handling and reproducing documents. A fax machine is necessary for communicating the information rapidly among centers and hospitals during emergency. ORGANIZATION & OPERATION: The effective function of a poison information Centre depends on the availability of an adequate volume of evaluated data to furnish a basis for the advice given. PIC’s should establish a mechanism for obtaining access to adequate data on commercial products from manufacturers and should be regularly updated &its confidentiality protected. Once a PIC becomes operational, i.e. able to offer an emergency response service, it should function around the clock. The information handled by PIC relating to manufactured products and patients, must be considered as confidential. Rapid identification of poisons or type of poison involved in an emergency is one of the center’s main tasks.