WARNING STATEMENTS AND GENERAL SAFETY DIWARNING STATEMENTS AND GENERAL SAFETY DIRECTIONS FOR POISONS

WARNING STATEMENTS AND GENERAL SAFETY DIRECTIONS FOR POISONS

(other than agricultural and veterinary chemicals (including pesticides) registered by the

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and medicines for human use

when compliant with the requirements of the Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels)

INTRODUCTION

Warning Statements and Safety Directions

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer, packer and supplier of a drug or poison to ensure that the purchaser or user of a product is given sufficient information to be able to use it correctly and safely.

Under poisons legislation, scheduled substances, which may be harmful to the user, must be labelled with appropriate warning statements and/or safety directions. The selection of warning statements and safety directions will depend on the formulation of the product, and the use for which it is sold or supplied. The following code has been prepared as a guide for this purpose.

The wording of warning statements and safety directions specified in this Appendix may be varied provided that the intent is not changed. Additional statements also may be added to ensure that the user of a product is sufficiently advised of its harmful nature and how to avoid any deleterious effects.

Poisons Information Centre Telephone Numbers

Companies should use the Poisons Information Centre telephone number(s) (Australia 13 11 26; New Zealand 0800 764 766) appropriate to the country(ies) of sale for the product.

Companies wishing to use a poisons information centre telephone number other than the national telephone numbers for Australia and New Zealand in warning statement No. 99 in Part 1 of this Appendix must meet the following criteria:

1. the poisons information service whose number is used must be attended by adequately trained staff for 24 hour emergency poisons information; and

2. calls must be logged and submitted for incorporation into the official collection of poisoning data.