ASHTII Project Objectives

1. Development of a European Union wide Poison Centre Forum (EUPC Forum); to function as a communication and information exchange platform between European Poisons Centres, as an integral part of the rapid alert system RAS CHEM.

2. To further develop RAS-CHEM and incorporate the EUPC Forum as an integral component of RAS-CHEM which will be part of the assembly of EU rapid alert systems run by DG-SANCO.

3. To test and develop an IT infrastructure for automatic online data collection from Poison Centres.

4. To improve the public health response to chemical incidents and emergencies to facilitate rapid and effective response to acute and potentially chronic effects following a chemical incident.

5. To engage Public Health Authorities and Ministers from the beginning of the project to provide steer and comment on their core information requirements for reporting events to RAS-CHEM.

6. Develop and adhere to a harmonised classification and list of definitions of toxic agents or chemicals; this will result in a consensually agreed classification system of toxic agents or chemicals based on substance use and toxicity.

7. Develop and incorporate harmonised terminology of clinical features and syndromes that would signal the possible release or exposure to toxic agents; this will be achieved by reviewing and evaluating current clinical features and symptoms to establish a harmonised terminology following exposure.

Last reviewed: 9 March 2010