Background

"One afternoon, while doing household chores, a mother discovered that her two-year child had accidentally swallowed a portion of her lipstick. The young mother panicked, not knowing what to do and where to seek help. Suddenly she remembered watching a programme on television about Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). Frantically she dialed the Hospital number where the operator connected her to the DPIC. The Drug Information (DI) pharmacist on duty advised her to calm down, explaining that lipstick is a non-toxic agent and would not harm the child..."

With the establishment of its Department of Pharmacy Services in 1985, AKUH became the first institution in Pakistan to provide comprehensive and fully automated pharmacy services.
The Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) was set up in 1995 to establish an effective resource base for drug and poison related issues and is facilitated by the AKUH Pharmacy Department.

Health professionals often find it difficult to trace an accurate path through the ever increasing barrage of information on new drugs, new combinations of old drugs or the variations of packaging and preparation of dosage forms. Made possible through generous contributions by Ismaili Pharmacists Group of Ontario, Canada, this important health education tool and much needed public service provides accurate and immediate assistance, both to the medical community and the public at large.

The Drug and Poison Information Centre:

Year 2006 marked the 11th Anniversary of Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC). The Centre is an integral part of Department of Pharmacy Services at AKUH. The Centre is providing drug information and poison management to its internal and external customers since the last 11 years and has now emerged as an essential resource for the institution.