Language: The lecture will be in English.

Speakers: Jonas Moens

Jonas Moens graduated as a pharmacist from KU Leuven in 2007, with a specialization in the preformulation and formulation of medicines. Until 2016, he worked as a community pharmacist.

In 2016, the pharmacist of the Poison Centre retired, together with a physician involved in the telephone service. Together with his colleague Jonas Van Baelen, he took over this role, becoming one of the first pharmacists to staff the centre’s telephone helpline. He now spends a significant part of his time responding to inquiries from both the general public and healthcare professionals.

At that time, there was no legal framework governing antidotes at the Poison Centre. To ensure compliance, the centre obtained wholesale status in 2017. In this context, he developed a quality system and has since been responsible for all activities related to the distribution of antidotes.

His role has evolved into that of a reference expert in antidotes and case management. In this capacity, he supports colleagues with complex cases, reviews call records, provides internal and external training, and serves as a point of contact for both pharmaceutical and pharmacological questions related to antidotes. He also supervises students and supports colleagues in drafting reports.

In addition, he prepares reports for governmental bodies on topics such as drugs, veterinary medicines, and hazardous mixtures, and he is a member of the Chemical Environmental Factors section of the Superior Health Council.

Each year, he conducts small-scale research for the European Association of Poison Centres and Clinical Toxicologists and contributes case reports. He received an award for his research on the usefulness of identification tools in mushroom intoxications and was also nominated for the best case report award.

He has a strong interest in toxicology, particularly in the physicochemical aspects of poisoning.

Abstract

This presentation focuses on what counts as a poisoning and how such cases are approached.
It explains how coworkers of the Belgian Poison Centre assess the type and severity of a poisoning and decide on appropriate treatment.
The role of antidotes is discussed in detail, including how they interact with specific agents, and what effects can be expected of them as how treatments are developed based on toxicological knowledge.
Some “chemical” poisonings are highlighted, such as exposures to fluorine, mercury, and some small organic molecules. These examples illustrate the mechanisms by which toxic substances affect the body and how chemistry is applied to counteract these effects.
Overall, the presentation would like to bring you a clear overview of the chemical principles behind poisoning management and the strategies used to counteract its effects.

Practical

Location: VUB, Campus Etterbeek. The lecture room will be announced later.

Members of KVCV are admitted for free, WK members pay €3, others pay €5.

Pay on-site, cash or preferentially by card (Maestro/Visa/Mastercard, also contactless).

After the lecture, you are invited to a reception.

Registration is mandatory. Register here.