Availability of antidotes in hospital pharmacies in Greece

We determined the availability of poisoning antidotes in the pharmacies of state hospitals in Greece and in Health Centers of the island of Crete. A Q uestionnaire survey was sent to all pharmacy directors of hospitals with em ergency departments, asking them to report anonymously the amount currently in stock of each of IZ common antidotes. Questionnaires were sent to 100 p harmacy directors and 68 (68%) of them replied. Only 2 (3%) of the 68 hospi tals stocked all IZ antidotes. The percentage of sufficient stocking for in dividual antidotes ranged from 6% (for digoxin immune fab) to 91% (for meth ylene blue). Recent circulation of government guidelines For antidote stock ing and hospital type had no significant effect on antidote stocking. In a multiple regression analysis, hospital type (prefectural, regional, univers ity hospital) and smaller hospital size were not predictors of the number o f antidotes sufficiently stocked. Storing of key poisoning antidotes is ina dequate in regional as well as in prefectural hospitals in Greece. Antidote s, including those which should be used without delay to be effective, are often not available, even for the commoner poisons in Greece such as pestic ides.