National antidote needed
January 10, 2012
THE Australian government needs
to establish a National Antidote
Inventory to assist in the
emergency treatment of poisoning
victims, according to pharmaceutical
company, Phebra, who has joined a
chorus of calls from leading doctors
and pharmacists for a National
Antidote Inventory.
Every year Australia’s four Poisons
Information Centres (PIC) receive
more than 250,000 calls from
members of the public and doctors
seeking advice from the program’s
team of poisons specialists and
specialist doctors for complex cases
requiring specific treatment, and
this advice often includes the use
of specific antidotes.
“Currently when a PIC provides
treatment advice that requires
antidotes, it does not have the
information to assist the hospital to
source the antidote,” said Professor
Andrew Dawson, Senior Staff
Specialist, RPA and NSW Poisons
Information Centre, The Childrens’
Hospital, Westmead.
“We believe this could be
addressed by developing a national
database of antidotes that would
be maintained by a Poison Centre
Network and be accessible to all
PICs as well as state and national
disaster groups.
“We should be able to identify
basic demographics that include
location, which would have the
flow-on affect of informing public
health and influencing policy
development,” he added.
Dawson also said that in a larger
arena, the system could identify
sporadic outbreaks, facilitate
response to a chemical disaster and
help ensure cost-effective access to
specific treatment.
The Director of Pharmacy at
Calvary Mater Newcastle,
Rosemary James, has also added
her voice to the calls, saying a
National Antidote Inventory would
streamline the way antidotes are
currently being supplied to
hospitals across the country.
“Hospitals would be able to draw
from the central inventory and
ensure they have fresh antidotes in
stock, to treat victims of poisoning
in a timely manner,” she said.
Meanwhile Phebra CEO, Dr Mal
Eutick added that a central
inventory would improve the safety
and security of supply of antidotes
in Australian hospitals and should
mean faster patient treatment.
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