The city of Berga hosted the “TOXUpdate. Toxicology in health emergencies: drugs, toxins, and mushrooms” conference, an event organized by the SEM and the Hospital de Berga, which brought together over 400 healthcare professionals. The main objective is to foster continuous learning and collaboration to enhance care quality for acute poisonings.
Data presented revealed that the Medical Emergency System (SEM) attended a total of 52,576 people for poisonings across Catalonia in 2025. Of these, 2,311 were in the Central Catalonia Health Region, representing a 3.5% increase from the previous year. The vast majority, 75%, were related to alcohol and psychoactive substance consumption.
The causes of poisonings are diverse, including medications, non-medicinal chemical products like cleaning supplies, foodborne and biological poisonings, and carbon monoxide. Approximately 70% of affected individuals require transfer to a healthcare facility for treatment.
The profile of those attended shows that 60% are men and 40% are women. For men, alcohol and psychoactive substance consumption is the primary cause (67%), while for women, drug poisonings are more prevalent (61%). The most affected age group is between 18 and 54 years old, with 18.6% concentrated between 45 and 54 years.
The conference also highlighted seasonal poisonings. While alcohol-related incidents increase in summer, carbon monoxide poisonings are more frequent in winter. Animal and poisonous plant bites, as well as mushroom ingestion, also show significant summer and autumn variations.
Experts shared knowledge and tools through lectures, workshops, and debates, addressing topics such as domestic poisonings, new drugs, and a specific workshop on mushrooms from Berguedà. Assistance for patients with psychomotor agitation was also covered, with participation from psychologists from the SEM and the Mossos d’Esquadra.
