IPU: 4,000 children poisoned accidently every year

The AGM of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) today has heard that 4,000 children in Ireland are accidentally poisoned each year.

The figures were sourced from the Poisons Information Centre in Beaumont Hospital and in most cases, prescription or over the counter medication is involved.

The AGM passed a motion calling on the HSE to roll out a collection scheme for unused drugs across the country. Such schemes currently operate in some parts of Dublin South and HSE Midlands. There are adhoc schemes in HSE South and HSE Mid-West.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children acknowledged in their report on the Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals, published in April 2007, that unused drugs should be disposed of properly and that local DUMP campaigns provide the model for a national, collaborative effort between the HSE and pharmacists.