Recommendations for establishing a drug and toxicology information center in a developing country

The purpose of this work was to formulate guidelines to help health professionals in establishing or strengthening the capabilities of drug and toxicology information centers and related facilities in developing countries. These guidelines are based on the experience of an established drug and toxicology information service in Zimbabwe which has been operating for more than ten years and on information obtained from other centers in developed countries. The guidelines provide advice rather than a unique model and should therefore be adapted rather than adopted. We conclude that national drug policies should include provision for establishing drug information centers. The World Health Organization and similar organizations should assist in establishing these centers. We believe that a drug and toxicology information center is more beneficial to the community when it is part of the teaching curriculum and continuing education for health professionals. Therefore, the center should be located in a medical teaching institution.