Poison Information Centres

Poison Information Centres (PICs) assist in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of poisoning.

Their primary role is clinical, taking phone calls and supporting clinicians to treat patients. Some host specialist physicians who treat poisoning patients in toxicology wards and a laboratory to identify poisons. 

PICs are needed because poisons are many and diverse, and non-specialist clinicians lack knowledge about all but the most common.

Data routinely collected by PICs is used for public health purposes and for toxicovigilance, allowing identification of hazardous chemicals and emergence of new toxicological hazards.

Although the World Health Organisation considers PICs pivotal in addressing global poisoning, there are few PICs in some parts of the world, particularly Africa. There is also a great need to increase capacity in many PICs in low and middle-income countries.

What are we doing?

We are working with the World Health Organisation to implement guidelines for establishing poison centres.

This involves supporting visits by staff to PICs to observe processes and supply standard operating procedures.

We are providing access to TOXBASE - an online and app-based poison database providing guidance on the management of patients exposed to more than 21,000 poisons. It is provided free of charge to PICs in low and middle-income countries registered with the World Health Organisation.

We also work with clinical toxicology associations (APAMT and MENATOX) to teach PIC procedures at annual congresses. Ten scholarships per year will be provided to enable attendees from under- represented groups/countries to attend. 

Please contact Annie Watt (annie.watt@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk) for further information about the training scholarships and the application process.

Mentorship will be offered from experienced PICs to less experienced PICs.

To address funding limitations in Africa, we will work with clinicians in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana to explore ways in which appropriate poison information can be provided as a model for the continent.

Training Opportunities

We offer limited number of scholarships to individuals from low- and middle-income countries who apply to Stellenbosch University Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Toxicology (7 to 8 scholarships per year):

Applications for the scholarships should be submitted in parallel to application for the Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Toxicology. To enquire about the postgraduate diploma please contact Stellenbosch University course director – Ms Carine Marks.

To apply for the scholarship please submit an expression of interest, explaining your interest, career plans, and why you wish to apply for this scholarship. For further information about the application process for the scholarships please contact Dr Raul Pardinaz-Solis as soon as you submit your application to Stellenbosch University..

Note: Funding for the scholarships comes from the project's NIHR RIGHT4 grant.  The scholarship will cover institution fees and limited travel costs (at the end of the postgraduate diploma) for individuals from LMIC accepted in the programme.

Individuals awarded will be expected to find additional funding to cover any other travel cost, insurance and living expenses require as part of their studies.