Information on poisoning and poisoning for NHS management: an overview of the National System of Toxic-Pharmacologic Information - SINITOX

Abstract

The study presents a brief history of the National System of Toxic-Pharmacological Information (Sistema Nacional de Informações Tóxico-Farmacológicas - SINITOX) and its database construction process, the characteristics and limitations of information available from 1985-2010, and proposals to improve availability for data in this system. This study is based on documents, bibliography and descriptive analyses for the data available on SINITOX. Despite certain initiatives in the 1990s, SINITOX does not have a computer system to collect the data recorded by the Centers for Toxicological Information and Assistance (Centros de Informação e Assistência Toxicológica - CIATs). From 1985 to 2010, the SINITOX database shows that 1,692,098 cases and 9,753 deaths were recorded by the CIATs, which were spontaneously sent to the system. Because this database is composed of tables with two correlated variables, not individual records, analyses are limited, and it is impossible to cross-check the information. To improve the access to data, we recommend constructing an internet-accessible database without tables that includes cases and deaths since 1985, which provide greater user freedom for queries.