On Thursday 27 August, we were delighted to mark a very special milestone at the National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) in Beaumont Hospital with an event to mark 60 years of providing poisons information and advice in Ireland.

Established in 1966 at the instigation of the Department of Health - Ireland and the Irish Medical Association (now Irish Medical Organisation), the NPIC has spent six decades providing specialist, evidence-based poisons information and treatment advice to healthcare professionals, supporting the public and contributing to poison prevention.

This year also marks 15 years since we launched our Public Poisons Information Line, extending the Centre’s service directly to members of the public and providing advice and reassurance when poisoning incidents occur in the home and community.

Our Diamond Jubilee celebration brought together colleagues and stakeholders from across the health and public service, including representatives from Government, public health, hospital services and regulatory authorities, alongside colleagues and friends of the Centre. We were delighted to host a variety of colleagues including staff from the Health Service Executive & Health and Safety Authority

The event was opened by speeches from our clinical director Dr Edel Duggan Duggan, HSE National Director of Public Health Dr John Cuddihy and Beaumont Hospital CEO Anne Coyle.

The afternoon featured talks reflecting on the history and work of the NPIC, as well as some poisoning risks affecting the community.

We were delighted to hear from:

🎙️Dr Joe Tracey – History of the NPIC

🍄Dr Kieran Connolly – Mushroom Mayhem

🏠Dr Saja Alhawal – Hidden poisons every parent should know about

We also took the opportunity to recognise and thank the team of mycologists who have generously volunteered their time over the years to visit the NPIC and assist with the identification of fungi. Their expertise and support have been invaluable in helping us provide advice in cases of suspected mushroom poisoning.

Anniversaries such as these are an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come and, most importantly, to recognise the people and organisations who have contributed to the work of the NPIC over the years.

From the Centre’s establishment in 1966, to the launch of the Public Poisons Information Line in 2011, our work has continued to evolve with the needs of the people we serve.

60 years of NPIC. 15 years of the Public Poisons Information Line.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this important milestone, and to all those who have supported the NPIC over the past 60 years.

For further details about the NPIC, its history and our 60th anniversary, see our press release here.