Introduction & Duties
Drug and Poison Information Center (DPIC) was established in 1996 in the Deputy for Food and Drug of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Then, within 16 years, 34 DPICs were established in all over the country. People were able to connect to the local DPIC by dialing 1490.
Currently, DPICs in Tehran and some other cities are active 24 hours and some other DPICs work in two shifts and some of them are open only in the office hours.
People can ask their questions form DPIC regarding the amount of drug intake and route of administration, adverse drug reaction, the use of drugs in pregnancy and lactation, storage of medications and food-drug interactions. DPICs can also deliver useful information about dealing with a poisoned patient and how to give first aid before emergency services arrive, to the companions of poisoned patients or to the medical team and also introduce required antidotes to them and prepare drugs which are difficult to find in pharmacies.