| Poisons information centers |
Seek expert advice for all serious poisonings or those that are unfamiliar. Poisons information centers in Australia are:
- on 24-hour access throughout Australia
- contacted by telephoning 13 11 26
- staffed by pharmacists, able to refer to clinical toxicologists for medical advice.
When calling the Poisons Information Center have available the following useful information:
- name of product: the exact name and spelling of the product makes finding information on it easier. Having the product at hand when calling makes this easier, and there may be additional information on the packaging. Active constituents can be useful if there is no record of the product name
- age and weight of the patient
- details of the exposure: time and type of ingestion (eg swallowed, licked container lid), ocular, skin contact
- immediate action by the parents or carers
- clinical effects: symptoms will influence what treatment is recommended.
In New Zealand the National Poisons Center is located in Dunedin and can be contacted by calling 0800-POISON / 0800 764766
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