Taipei Veterans General Hospital

Division of Clinical Toxicology & Occupational Medicine

 PCC-Taiwan

     The Taiwan National Poison Center (PCC-Taiwan) was founded in 1985 under the auspices of the Department of Health, Republic of China (R.O.C.) and the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. It serves the 23 million population in Taiwan and has been in operation 24 hours a day since July 1985. It is staffed by five doctors (internists), four pharmacists, two nurses, eight laboratory technicians and about three dozens of trained medical student volunteers. The PCC-Taiwan provides online information, interpretation of laboratory tests, and management options for poisoned patients. In addition, because of its affiliation with the Taipei Veterans General Hospital (VGH), one of the largest hospitals in Taiwan, the PCC-Taiwan is a referral center for poisoned patients nationwide. The PCC-Taiwan also serves as a training center for emergency physicians, clinical toxicologists, and poison information specialists. By providing readily accessible service, timely advice and expertise in the treatment of poisonings, the PCC-Taiwan has earned an excellent reputation among patients, physicians and governmental agencies.

     With its affiliated toxicological laboratory, the PCC-Taiwan is also the best center in conducting toxicological laboratory analysis for acutely poisoned patients in Taiwan. It not only provides analysis of a wide array of toxicants but also offers a training program for toxicological laboratory technicians. Moreover, the PCC-Taiwan has been involved in the epidemiological investigations of various abused substances and has joined the official certification program for drug abuse screening in Taiwan since 1990. Many numerous new analytical methods such as the analysis of toluene, 1-bromopropane, dimethylacetamide, aconitine, ephedra, traizolam, bromadiolone and metformin had been developed in last two decades as well.

     In addition to providing online information service and toxicological screening, the PCC-Taiwan has focused its activity on the survey and prevention of occupational poisoning exposures. In last three decades, the PCC-Taiwan has been involved in the management of several large outbreaks of occupational poisoning exposures in Taiwan. To provide a training program for occupational medicine physicians is another major task of the PCC-Taiwan. As of July 2015, more than 10 occupational medicine physicians have received 2-year training in the PCC-Taiwan and the Division of Clinical Toxicology & Occupation Medicine, which has greatly increased the manpower in the better management of occupational poisoning exposures in Taiwan.

Education and training: The main strength of the Clinical Toxicology training program at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is its vast number of cases collected over more than 29 years of operation. These invaluable data are available for retrospective analysis and research of various acute poisonings. Agrochemical exposures and herbal poisonings in Taiwan are not commonly encountered in poison control centers in western countries. Other aspects of toxicology service such as the laboratory analysis, clinical toxinology and occupational poisonings also provide a greater opportunity for immersion yourself in the fascinating world of clinical toxicology.

Students receiving training at the PCC-Taiwan include residents, interns, medical students, pharmacists, nurses and laboratory technicians. The training course may vary from weeks to 2 years and primarily focuses on problem-based learning & situated learning.