New public dashboard highlights call trends to BC Drug and Poison Information Centre

THE BC Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) has launched a new public dashboard to raise awareness about poisonings caused by medications, drugs, and other toxic substances.

The DPIC Data Dashboard summarizes call trends to the centre and was published at the start of National Poison Prevention Week (March 15-21).

Everyday household items can be a risk for poisoning among young children, and some of the most common cases DPIC responds to are children getting into things like cleaning products, medications, and house plants.

“We get calls from a wide range of people about all sorts of exposures, but one thing we’re particularly concerned about is unintentional poisonings among babies and young children,” says DPIC associate medical lead Dr. Jesse Godwin. “Nearly 30 per cent of all our cases are among children aged five and under. It’s important to store medications and all other potentially harmful products safely out of reach.”

He says: “Poison specialists at DPIC play a crucial role in our health care system. In nearly a quarter of our cases, DPIC staff answer calls from health care professionals and help them manage complex cases in hospitals or other care settings. We also reduce the burden on emergency rooms by walking people through how they can manage less serious poisonings at home, when it’s safe to do so. This is how nearly 70% of DPIC cases have been handled.”

Dr. Shelina Babul, Director, BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, says: “Poison Prevention Week is a great time to look around your home and lock up any products that could potentially harm your children. This can include cleaning products, over-the-counter medication, herbal supplements, cannabis, and button batteries frequently found in car fobs, toys, and watches.  A good tip is to get down low, to the height of your children, and view the world as they see it, to identify anything that could be dangerous.”

Poison centres and public health organizations across Canada are recognizing National Poison Prevention Week, an annual campaign to draw attention to the causes of poisoning and how people can prevent them.

If you suspect someone has been poisoned by a medicine, chemical, or other substance, call DPIC at 604-682-5050 or 1-800-567-8911. If someone is unconscious, having a seizure, difficulty breathing or chest pain, immediately call 9-1-1.

Tips to prevent poisoning among young children

• Causes of poisoning among young children can include:
  • Medications, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and natural health products
  • Cannabis products, including edibles
  • Cigarettes, nicotine and vape liquid
  • Alcohol
  • Household cleaners, laundry detergent, and bleach
  • Cosmetic products, such as nail polish, mouth wash, creams, etc.
  • Car supplies, like antifreeze and windshield washer fluid
  • Pesticides
  • Certain plants
• Store medications and potential poisons up high and out of sight and reach of children. Store in a locked cabinet, drawer, or box.
• Use child-resistant caps.
• Keep products in their original containers so you know what’s inside. Labels often contain important information about ingredients and medication dosage.
• Cannabis edibles can resemble snacks or candies. Follow the same storage practices with cannabis products as you do for other poisonous items.
• Check for expired and unused medications, vitamins and natural health products at home and return to your pharmacy.
• Add the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre to your phone contact list and keep it in a visible location in your home such as on your fridge: 1-800-567-8911.

Support for drug and poisoning exposures is available 24/7 in B.C. and Yukon:

• DPIC is a clinical telephone service staffed by specially trained pharmacists, nurses, and medical toxicologists, who can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-800-567-8911.
• The average time for a DPIC poison specialist to answer a call is only 40 seconds.
• DPIC is one of five poison centres in Canada and supports around 28,000 cases of suspected or confirmed poisonings per year.
• Calls come from individuals and health care professionals when people are concerned about harmful exposures that may be affecting themselves or someone in their care.
• The new dashboard shows DPIC call trends from 2012 onwards and will be updated monthly. Call trends are shown across 41 different substance groups, followed by a brief description and information about the substance.
• Substance groups range from prescription medications to recreational substances like alcohol, and everyday household items like cleaning products.

Learn More:

• Visit the DPIC data dashboard and check out the DPIC website for information on poison prevention and best practices to keep your home safe
• Visit the BCIRPU poisoning page to learn about risks for different age groups
• See Parachute’s 2026 National Poison Prevention Week campaign
• Follow BCCDC (Facebook, Instagram) and BCIRPU (Facebook, Instagram) for tips from DPIC specialists and injury prevention experts during poison prevention week.