Cooperative regional program for distribution of poison prevention information and syrup of ipecac

A regional program to distribute poison prevention information and syrup of ipecac to families that have regular contact with young children is described. In December 1985 the department of pharmacy services at Bristol Hospital in Connecticut proposed implementation of a poison prevention program targeted to families with young children (less than 12 years of age) in the hospital's five-town service area. A planning committee was created to define program goals and oversee operations. The committee decided that poison prevention kits consisting of an instructional booklet and a one-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac would be distributed to selected residents of the five-town area, with individual instruction provided in the correct use of syrup of ipecac. Funding was provided principally by the hospital, with some additional money from private foundations. The project was named CAP (Combating Accidental Poisoning) and ran initially from December 1, 1986, to June 30, 1987. Kits were distributed in cooperation with area health-care professionals with whom families had regular contact, including pediatricians, family-practice physicians, and community pharmacies. Apart from the hospital pharmacy service itself, the most effective participants were pediatricians; family-practice physicians were highly ineffective. During the course of the initial CAP program 6610 kits were distributed, with 48.7% going to families considered at high risk for the occurrence of an accidental child poisoning. An ongoing program to distribute these kits to all newly delivered mothers and to all area pediatricians free of charge has resulted in more than 15,000 kits being distributed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)