The National Poisons Centre is New Zealand's only poison and hazardous chemicals information centre and runs a 24-hour/7-day toll free telephone advice service.
The main role of the National Poisons Centre is to provide advice to members of the public and healthcare professionals about acute poisoning situations.
This can involve:
- Medicines
- Chemicals
- Household/consumer products
- Hazardous creatures (e.g. spiders, snakes, jellyfish)
- Plants and fungi
Situations of poisoning or where poisoning might occur may include:
- If someone has swallowed, inhaled or injected a substance
- If someone has got a substance in their eye(s) or on their skin
- If someone has been bitten or stung by a hazardous creature
We also:
- Provide advice on preventing poisonings in the home
- Provide general first aid advice for poisonings
- Maintain a database on chemicals, medicines, plants and animals (currently it contains over 200,000 substances)
- Monitor poisoning statistics to identify targeted prevention strategies and emerging threats
For Health Professionals:
We also offer 24/7 direct consultation with a Medical Toxicologist