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History of Toxicology

Amalia Laborde MD Maritza Rojas Martini

Venezuela

updated Apr 20, 2010 by Nick Thorp


Country Correspondent


Maritza Rojas Martini


 

Overview

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Forensic Toxicology in Venezuela could be said to have originated on May 7th , 1878 with the Medical-Forensic Code of Instructions Promulgation, which described in the Third Section of Title III, named Chemical Expertise, the standards for taking samples, conservation and procedures to follow in cases of poisoning with homicidal intent.
Teaching at the graduate level

Teaching at the Graduate Level

The first decree on teaching Clinical Toxicology relating to Venezuela Superior and Scientific Instruction, appeared in September 1883. This called for the study of Toxicology in Medical Schools where, for the first time, it was linked to Legal Medicine, and was offered as a single course in the sixth year of the program. Later, it was eliminated from the program of studies in compliance with decree 347 of October 6, 1945, promulgated by President Isaías Medina Angarita, when medical schools fell under a new regulation.

This situation continued until 1954, when Toxicology was incorporated, linked again to Legal Medicine, in the program of studies of Venezuela Central University School of Medicine (UCV), Zulia University (LUZ), Center-Westerly "Lisandro Alvarado" University (UCLA), Easterly University (UDO), Andes University (ULA) and Carabobo University (UC).

In 1894 the first law of Pharmacy was promulgated, establishing in its article 6 that the faculties of Pharmacy should be responsible for teaching Toxicology. By 1912 the programs were oriented mainly to the properties and mechanisms of action of drugs. Years later, on July 24, 1940, under the government of General Eleazar López Contreras, the Education Law was promulgated by the Sovereign Republic Congress and countersigned by the Education Ministry; this brought meaningful changes in Pharmacy studies, among them the widening of Toxicology studies with an experimental basis and the establishment for the subject of the name Toxicology and Toxicological Expertise.

About 1960, the University Counsels were authorized to approve the Faculty Regulations according to the Universities Law of 1958, promulgated by the Government Executive Board. This law allowed the University Counsels to approve the creation of Mentions or Pre-specializations, so they approved and created, among others, the figure of Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene for the UCV Pharmacy Faculty and Toxicology for the ULA Pharmacy Faculty. These studies have evolved until now following the development of Toxicology as an integrated science.

Also, in the Schools of Bioanalysis , the studies of Toxicology were initiated in the UCV and ULA in October of 1966, followed by the Aragua Nucleus of the UC in 1970 and the Main Campus of the UC in 1976.

A Chair in Veterinary Toxicology was created for the first time in LUZ in 1975.This was followed by the UCLA in Barquisimeto, Lara State .- At present, Toxicology is also taught in the UCV Veterinary Faculty.

At the School of Medicine "Dr. Witremundo Torrealba" and since the founding of the Legal Medicine Chair in Aragua on November 3, 1978, a Toxicology Module, which includes 4 theoretical subjects and a practical module named Laboratory of Toxicological Expertise, has been conducted. Included in the new program are studies of Clinical Toxicology in the Program of the Pharmacology Chair; this is also included in the Medical study program of the Carabobo nucleus but as an optional feature.

At present, other University careers such as Industrial Engineering and Agronomical Engineering have developed study subjects in conformance with Toxicology as an Integrated Science.

Teachings at the Postgraduate level

The teachings of Clinical Toxicology in Venezuela have been the responsibility of a multidisciplinary team, including Dr. Manuel Arellano Parra as a pioneer with several teachers, Pharmaceuticals, Toxicologists and Physicians as collaborators; among them we can mention Cristina Zombi from Valera, Rafael Angeli, Gladis Arias Delgado, Norath Arrieta Sánchez, Elva Luz Bermúdez, Héctor R. Campos, Luís LaCruz Ochoa, Diego Piña, Nelson Vicuña Fernández among others.

One year specialization courses were initiated in 1973, being sponsored by National and International organizations related to Toxicology until the 1980s. By 1983 in Maracay Aragua State, by the initiative of Dra. Yelitza C. Reyes F., Pharmaceutical Toxicologist, Director of the Regional Toxicology Unit (UTR) in the Civil Hospital of Maracay, with the collaboration of CIATOX under the Direction of Dra. Vanesa de París and support from the Faculty of Pharmacy, a module of Clinical Pediatric Toxicology was proposed at the level of Pediatric Postgraduate Residence at Central Hospital of Maracay to be completed in the two first years of residence, and constituting the first toxicological studies at Hospital Postgraduate level with University support. It was offered only until 1988 due to lack of support from the Hospital Center administration.

In 1990, in Caracas, the 3-year Postgraduate Residence of Clinical Toxicology at the Hospital "Leopoldo Manrique Terrero" was established, under the direction of Dr. Alfredo González Carrero, Physician Toxicologist. Unfortunately, this course, in spite of its superior program of studies at the Postgraduate level, does not receive University support.

In 1995, in the Toxicology Unit of Aragua State, a basic course of Clinical Toxicology was created, sponsored by the UC Medicine Faculty under the coordination of Dra. Yelitza C. Reyes F. and the support of Teaching Collaborators, Toxicologist Physicians, Toxicologist Pharmaceutics, Epidemiological Physicians and Pathologists; among them Betty Omaña, Carmen Rodríguez, Maria J. Yeguez S., Juanita Rojas de Carrasco, José Trujillo, Solanuela Mendoza, Ivonne Romero, Mireya Abreu and Carmela Martínez.

The main goal of this course was to offer Basic tools to new graduate physicians from different Schools, so they could attend toxicological accidents. It was designed with 180 theoretical and 100 experimental hours, the classes being imparted at the Maracay Central Hospital Emergency Services and the "Leopoldo Manrique Terrero" Hospital with support from the Toxicology Service, by then with a duration of six months. The course was suspended in November 2003 due to budgetary constraints.

At the Barquisimeto hospital "Dr. Antonio María Pineda" from Lara State, The Clinical Toxicological Postgraduate Program has the support of the UCLA and the Center Occidental Toxicological Center, which was initiated in 1978 with duration of three years of residence under the direction of Dra. Elva Luz Bermúdez, Toxicologist Pharmaceutical.

In 1980, the ULA Medicine Faculty initiated the 3-year Clinical Toxicology Postgraduate Program under the direction of Dr. Luis LaCruz, Toxicologist Physician.

In 1986, the UCV Pharmacy Faculty University Counsel approved as a postgraduate study the 3-year specialization in Analytic Toxicology, initiating its activities that year under the coordination of Dra. Gladis de Galiz, Toxicologist Pharmaceutical, and geared to Pharmacy Professionals.

By 1980, the UCV developed a Multidisciplinary Master Program directed by Dra. Gladis Carmona, Physician Toxicologist. This program was restructured in 1990, being split in two programs, one with the name of Clinical Toxicology under the direction of Dra. Carmona and the other as Analytical Toxicology, under the direction of Dra. Yoolitza Aular, Pharmaceutical Toxicologist, both of (2) year duration. At present, the Clinical Toxicological Master Program is suspended.

A version of this article was published in Information Resources in Toxicology, 4th Edition, Arisleida J. Rodriguez H., Access to the Toxicology Information, Venezuela Chapter, Copyright Elsevier (2009).


Government Agencies


Non-Government Organizations

(Organizaciones No-gubernamentales)


Universities

(Universidades)


Professional Societies

(Sociedades Profesionales)


Poison

Control Centers (Centros de Toxicologia)

  • Antonio Maria Pineda Hospital. Toxicology Center (Hospital Dr. Antonio María Pineda. Centro Toxicológico) (CTRCO)
    Attn: Dr. Omaira Bastidas - Director
    Apartado Postal 658
    C.P. 3001
    Barquisimeto - Lara
    Tel: (58 251) 7181260
  • Civil Hospital of Maracay. Regional Toxicology Unit (Hospital Civil de Maracay. Unidad Toxicológica Regional) (UTR)
    Attn: Dr. Yelitza Reyes Figueroa - Direct
    Calle Brion
    Frente a la Plaza Bolivar
    Maracay - Aragua
    Tel: (58 243) 2327815
    Email: utr@tycom.com.ve
  • Dr. Luis Razetti. Toxicology Center (Hospital Dr. Luis Razetti. Centro Toxicológico) (FUNCETOXBA)
    Attn: Dr. Olga Fontiveros de Mazzei - Director
    Barinas
    Tel: (58 273) 5520294
  • Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV). Servicio de Información de Medicamentos y Tóxicos (SIMET)
    Attn: Pharm. Daniela Pasqualatto B. - Director
    Los Chaguaramos Piso 7
    Ciudad Universitaria
    Casilla Postal 1040
    Caracas
    Tel: (58 212) 6052686/6052732
    Fax: (58 212) 6052686/6052732
    Email: simet@camelot.rect.ucv.ve or pasquald@camelot.rect.ucv.ve
    Web site: http://www.ucv.ve
  • Universidad de Carabobo. Center for Toxicological Investigations (Centro de Investigaciones Toxicológicas) (CITUC)
    Calle 144 No. RIO-21
    La Ceiba, Valencia
    Carabobo - Venezuela
    Tel: (58 241) 8247256
    Telefax: (58 241)-8237530
    Email: cituc@intercable.net.ve
    Web site: http://www.uc.edu.ve/cituc/publico/index.htm


Miscellaneous Resources


Key Publications

  • Journals
  • Monographs
    • Carmona G, Castillo E and Mock Meyling. Normative for the prevention of mercurial contamination in dentists (Normas de prevencion de la contaminacion mercurial en la profesion odontologica.). UC. Valencia. 1977.
    • FONCIED-PDVSA-CONICIT. Industrial Higiene. Solutions for the new millenium (Higiene Industrial. Soluciones para la productividad en el nuevo milenio). Caracas. 2001.
    • Fabrega Enrique. The world of the drugs (El mundo de las Drogas). Eds. Estudios de Postgrado y Consejo de Publicaciones. ULA. Merida. 1988.
    • Larez Albornoz, Asdrúbal. Antidotes (Antidotario). Eds. Camara de la Industria Farmacéutica (CIFAVE). Fundacion Jose Maria Vargas. UCV. Caracas.
    • Larez Albornoz, Asdrúbal. Compendium of chemiotoxic analysis in toxicological emergencies (Compendio de Analisis quimitoxico en emergencias asistenciales). Caracas. 1973.
    • Salazar, M and Guerrero Amarilis. Attitude of a group of university students through the drugs (Actitud de un grupo de estudiantes universitarios hacia las drogas). Eds. Escuela de Enfermeria. UC. Valencia. 1975.
    • Salazar M and Ramos G. Epidemiological diagnostic of psychoactive substances consumption at a Venezuelan University (Diagnostico Epidemiologico del consumo de sustancias pscioactivas en una Universidad venezolana). Eds. Centro de Estudios sobre el problema de las drogas (CEPRODUC). UC. Valencia.1994.
    • Saume Fernando. Introduction to the chemistry and toxicology of insecticidas (Introducción a la quimica y toxicología de insecticidas). Maracay. 1992


Legal Links


About Venezuela (Acerca de Venezuela)


Multilateral Organization Contacts


Literature References from TOXLINE (Venezuela)

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