21. 5. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 124/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the draft Council Resolution on improving the prevention and treatment of acute 
human poisoning {l) 
(90/C 124/01) 
On 3 November 1989 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned Resolution. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which 
was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 
6 March 1990. The Rapporteur was Mr. Gomez Martinez. 
At its 275th plenary session (meeting of 28 March 1990) the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. General comments — cooperation between poison centres in areas adjac­
ent to other Member States, 
1.1. The widespread use (domestic, industrial, health 
care medicinal) of natural and synthetic chemical sub­
stances, as well as chemical products containing a mix­
ture of such substances, has led to a gradual increase 
in the incidence of poisoning throughout the world (2); 
hence the obvious need for poison-control programmes 
(toxicological surveillance, treatment and prevention) 
not only at Member-State level but also internationally. 
1.2. The Committee regards the objectives of the 
proposed Resolution, viz.: 
— harmonized collection and summarizing of infor­
mation, 
(!) OJ No C 294, 22. 11. 1989, p. 10. 
(2) The increasing number of cases of chemical poisoning, in 
addition to those of natural origin, is corroborated by the 
report on poison control centres prepared jointly by the 
International Programme for Chemical Safety, the EC Com­
mission and the World Federation of Poison Control Centres 
(Report on the Survey of Poison Control Centres and Related 
Toxicological Services 1984-1986, in 'Journal de toxicologic 
chimique et experimentale' — 1988, no 5). — improvement of the availability of antidotes, 
— assessment at Community level of steps taken to 
prevent acute poisoning, 
as a first necessary step towards the establishment of 
poison-control programmes. 
1.3. The Committee approves the objectives of the 
proposal in view of the manifest differences in the 
toxicological infrastructure in the Member States 
(quantity and quality of centres, direct access to the 
public, available information, communications situ­
ation, available financing, etc.). It welcomes any meas­
ures which could lead to an improvement in the compa­
rability of data and the treatment of poisoning. The 
successful implementation of these first steps will lay 
the groundwork for appropriate preventive measures. 
1.4. The Committee welcomes the fact that the fifth 
recital of the preamble establishes a link with the Com­
munity EHLASS system (information on accidents 
involving consumer products). The collection of such 
data is essential before any decision is taken as to what 
action is appropriate. 
No C 124/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 5. 90 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. To ensure that the Resolution is effective the 
measures set out below should be taken. 
2.2. It is necessary to maintain and expand the exist­
ing fruitful cooperation with the World Health Organ­
ization (WHO). 
2.3. Similarly, it would be particularly advisable to 
maintain and expand the contacts established with the 
countries of the European Free Trade Association 
(EFTA) and with the countries of Central and Eastern 
Europe. 
2.4. The Member States must ensure that adequate 
funds are available to develop the necessary toxicologi-
cal surveillance and prevention infrastructure (centres, 
laboratories, data bases), so that toxic agents can be 
identified accurately and quickly. 
2.5. If the necessary cooperation between border are­
as is to be successful, effective arrangements must be 
set up to ensure that antidotes are available and that 
the distribution networks of the Member States work 
together properly. 
2.6. The list of antidotes must be kept up to date. 
2.7. Encouragement should be given to the compi­
lation of a data base specifically for commercial chemi­
cal products; this would indicate, besides the commer­
cial name of the product, the substances which it con­
tains and would be available for use in the centres 
referred to in the Resolution. 
A similar data base is important for poisons of natural 
origin. 
Done at Brussels, 28 March 1990. 2.8. A system for informing the public directly of the 
risks and action to be taken in the event of poisoning 
should be introduced, parallel to the existing system 
of compulsory labelling of dangerous preparations (*). 
This information must be in the languages of the recipi­
ent country, bearing in mind particularly the problems 
of border regions. 
Firms and trade associations will have to undertake the 
drafting and circulation of 'safety fact-sheets' for the 
consumer, prepared in cooperation with the poison 
control centres. 
2.9. It would also be advisable to promote consumer 
education on these matters, both in the interests of a 
rapid treatment of serious cases of poisoning and for 
preventive purposes. 
It would further be advisable to encourage consumer 
education in schools, both to prevent accidents and to 
teach the basic principles of first aid. 
The public must be adequately informed about the 
poison control centres (telephone number, location, 
etc.). 
2.10. Since the measures under consideration in the 
draft Resolution are a first step towards the subsequent 
formulation of a policy aimed at preventing the risks 
of acuting poisoning in the population and among 
workers in particular, the Committee calls on the Com­
mission to make a special effort to promote their appli­
cation in the Member States. 
2.11. The Spanish version of the proposal uses the 
term 'Decision' instead of 'Resolucion' on pages 3 and 
5 (pages 10 and 11 of OJ No C 294, 22. 11. 1989). 
(!) OJ No L 187, 18. 7. 1988. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE