JIST

TOXOCON-7: Final Report

The 7th National Conference of Indian Society of Toxicology was held on 02 & 03 March 2013 in Goa. The theme was unique: Marine Envenomation and Seafood Poisoning. The conference was organized by Prof Silvano Dias Sapeco of Goa Medical College in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa.

Prof Sapeco was assisted by Prof EJ Rodrigues, Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, Dr Rataboli, Dr Andre Fernandes, Dr Rao, and the rest of the dynamic faculty and PGs of the department of forensic medicine & toxicology of Goa Medical College.

The following were the highlights:

1.      Goa Medical Council sanctioned 10 credit hours for the conference (and this was printed in all certificates of participation distributed to all the delegates at the end of the conference).

2.      Inauguration was on the boat cruise on the evening of 02 March with a lot of "high spirited" fun, frolic, music, and dancing, which was followed by a Grand Banquet on the boat.

3.      The Key Note Address on the morning of 02 March delivered by Prof Ken Winkel, Director, Australian Venom Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia set the tone for the rest of the scientific proceedings which were an "eye opener" for the participants, many of whom had no prior inkling about marine creatures nor about the hazards of seafood.

4.      The theme of the conference was tackled in two sessions (Marine Envenomation and Seafood Poisoning) by 12 eminent experts drawn from India and abroad.

5.      The total number of participants far exceeded the original limit of 100–120 and reached the figure of nearly 150.

6.      The Indian Society of Toxicology gave away the Best Paper Prize to Dr Pannag Kumar, who presented a stunning paper on a case of lethal puffer fish poisoning handled by the FMT dept of Goa.

7.      TOXIQUIZ-2013 generated unprecedented enthusiasm and the number of eager participants unfortunately outnumbered the maximum number of question paper sets and certificates of participation that were prepared (40), as a result of which a few disappointed candidates had to be turned away from the venue. The questions were of MCQ type and were restricted to the theme of the conference. The highest scorer was Dr Nagendra Kumar, a PG from FMT dept of Madras Medical College who scored 36/40, and was awarded a prize by IST, while all other participants were given certificates.

8.      At the conclusion of the conference, Prof SD Sapeco was officially installed as the new President of Indian Society of Toxicology during the Valedictory Program for the period 2013–2014.

TOXOCON-8: A Curtain Raiser

The 8th National Conference of IST (TOXOCON-8) will be organized by Dr Manoj Kumar Mohanty and his team from the department of forensic medicine and toxicology of JIPMER, Puducherry. The tentative dates (in 2014) are 09 and 10 August, while the theme has already been chosen: Household Poisoning—Clinical, Pediatric, Forensic, and Analytical Aspects. The conference (as in the case of all TOXOCONS) will be restricted to 100–120, and will be open to students and practitioners of general medicine, paediatrics, emergency medicine, intensive care, pharmacology, forensic medicine and toxicology. Do not miss it!