CHENNAI / December 10, 2021: Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center (MMHRC), Madurai, is hosting the 15th annual national conference (TOXOCON-15) of the Indian Society of Toxicology from 10th – 12th December 2021. The 3-day conference under the theme of “Recent Advances and Newer Trends in Toxicology” will see participation by dozens of eminent toxicologists drawn from the fields of Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Forensic Medicine and Pharmacology among others. Experts will debate and interact on various aspects of medical toxicology (clinical, forensic and analytical).
The conference will be graced by the presence of eminent personalities such as Thiru Palanivel Thiagarajan, Honorable Minister of Finance and Human Resource Management, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Thiru P Moorthy, Honorable Minister for Commercial Tax & Stamp law, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Dr S Gurushankar, Chairman, MMHRC, Dr J A Jayalal, National President, Indian Medical Association, Dr Ramesh Ardhananri, Medical Director, MMHRC, Dr.B.Kannan, Medical Administrator, Dr.Narendra Nath Jena, Director & Head – Accident & Emergency, MMHRC & Organising Chairman, Toxocon-15, Thiru Sandeep Nanduri, IAS, Director, Department of Tourism, Dr S Aneesh Sekhar, IAS, District Collector, Madurai, Padmashri Manohar Devadoss, Artist/Writer/Musician among others.
Elaborating on the conference, Dr S Gurushankar, Chairman, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center (MMHRC), Madurai said, “We believe that this year’s conference will be a watershed moment in the history of medical toxicology in India, as it is for the first time that so many experts from different fields will deliberate on the current concepts of medical toxicology. MMHRC is happy to host the conference and provide all the support that is needed. We welcome all our delegates who have come here to find solutions to various issues in toxicology. We look forward to seeing the results of their deliberations, which we are sure will benefit medical professionals and students all over the country.”
Prof. Dr. V V Pillay, Head of Forensic Medicine & Medical Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Science, Kochi, who delivered the felicitation address said, “I am glad that toxicology today is being given the due importance it deserves. South India is home to many prominent toxicology centres. Madurai’s MMHRC has a toxicology wing. Kochi’s Amrita Institute has a Poison Control Centre. The country needs more such centres that can diagnose poisons and other toxins responsible for many deaths. I am sure delegates at this conference will offer solutions and strategies to quickly diagnose, monitor and minimise adverse incidents caused by toxins. I am glad that this year’s conference is in Madurai. The city’s medical professionals and students will benefit a lot from all the insights offered at the conference”
An entire day in the 3-day conference is devoted to a hands-on workshop on the practical aspects of common toxicological situations, and an expert panel discussion on the way forward with regard to the training of medical students in the subject of toxicology. Hundreds of delegates have registered from all over the country and several among them will be presenting their work in the form of scientific papers and posters. A quiz programme is also planned, and several prizes are on offer for various scientific sessions.
The 3-day conference hopes to bring attention to toxicology. India has been slow in realizing the importance of toxicology in the medical field, because of which doctors have not been trained adequately in the management of poisoning. This is reflected in the dismal statistics: more than 2 lakh people die every year from poisoning, with just one entity (snakebite envenomation) accounting for about 50,000 deaths.
The Indian Society of Toxicology (IST) has been actively involved in highlighting this neglected specialty in the last 18 years, thereby providing doctors, scientists, and researchers with a national platform for acquainting each other with cutting edge developments in the field. This inevitably translates into improved knowledge, skills, and expertise in the diagnosis and management of poisoning, besides helping to devise strategies to minimize the incidence of poisoning. Every year, IST has been holding conferences, workshops, and meetings relating to various issues in toxicology across the country. This year the conference has come to Madurai. The 3-day conference will end with an awards ceremony
