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[Poisoning by chemical substances and products]
Kathrin Begemann1, Nina Glaser2, Herbert Desel2
1Abteilung Exposition, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Deutschland. kathrin.begemann@bfr.bund.de.
Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz
|October 18, 2019
Summary
Poison centers and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) collect crucial data on chemical poisonings. Merging these databases into a national poisoning register could accelerate the discovery of new risks and provide a comprehensive overview.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Public Health
- Chemical Safety
Background:
- Chemical substance exposure leads to numerous poisonings annually.
- Poison centers (PCs) and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) maintain case databases.
- Existing data can inform risk management for new product groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify common product groups causing poisonings.
- To analyze differences in poisoning data between PCs and BfR.
- To propose a national poisoning register for enhanced risk detection.
Main Methods:
- Examination of exemplary case information from PC annual reports.
- Analysis of cases notified to the BfR.
- Comparison of data from different reporting sources.
Main Results:
- Product groups most frequently leading to poisonings and inquiries were identified.
- Significant differences were observed in reporting persons, exposure routes, and severity between BfR and PC data.
- Highly concentrated detergents, acids, alkalis, and carbon monoxide were identified as high-risk substance groups.
Conclusions:
- PC and BfR databases offer valuable insights into poisoning frequency and severity.
- A merged national poisoning register would enable faster identification of emerging risks.
- A national overview of poisoning events is crucial for public health and chemical safety.