Abstract

The goal of the Safe States Alliance's (formerly the State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Associations – STIPDA) Poison Injury Surveillance Workgroup (ISW) is to promote better surveillance around poisoning in our states and nation with an emphasis on drug poisonings. In order to do that the ISW is developing a framework for states and national-level organisations to use that includes: a conceptual definition of all types of poisoning that differentiates by type of exposure, and where possible, by intent, chronic and acute; poisoning surveillance and risk factor data sources at the national and state level; and an operationalised definition for drug poisoning using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)9-CM and ICD-10 for as many poison data sources as possible. The Workgroup developed a proposed conceptual definition of a poisoning: an exposure to a synthetic chemical or a naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral substance resulting in at least one related, adverse clinical effect. The Safe States Alliance's Poison ISW is composed of approximately 15 members from private, state, federal and national organisations. Each member brings a unique perspective to poison surveillance and years of experience. The Poison ISW will continue to meet throughout 2010 to improve overall poisoning surveillance and develop a consensus report.