The BC Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) was established in 1975 through the cooperative efforts of the Hospital Programs Branch of the BC Ministry of Health and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC). It is located at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver and is staffed with pharmacists, nurses, and physicians who have specific expertise in the provision of drug and poison information services.
The original mandate of the Centre called for the development of centralized services to assist health professionals throughout BC in providing optimal levels of drug therapy and poison management. Considerable progress has been made in this respect through expansion of DPIC programs over the ensuing years. Notably, the Centre has assumed provision of poison information services to the BC public, a population of approximately 4.4 million.
Since 2002 DPIC has been affiliated with the BC Centre for Disease Control which is an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), and continues its affiliation with UBC. We are a member of the Canadian Association of Poison Control Centres (CAPCC) and the American Association of Poison Control Centres (AAPCC).
** Vision Statement **
The Vancouver Community Network strives to be an inclusive, multicultural, community-based organization which ensures the free, accessible electronic creation and exchange of the broadest range of information, experience, ideas and wisdom.
** Mission Statement **
The Vancouver Community Network owns, operates and promotes a free, publicly accessible, non-commercial, community computer utility in the Lower Mainland of BC which provides a public space on the Internet.
** Goals **
To encourage the development of a wide range of electronic community information and communications resources.
To encourage the broadest possible participation of community and non-profit organizations in making their information available on the CommunityNet.
To work with community and non-profit organizations to make VCN a community building tool.
To support individuals and organizations in building and maintaining public space on the Internet internationally.
To work with other BC and Canadian Community Networks, such as Telecommunities Canada, to support Canadian community computer networks.
To educate and encourage the public in the use of the Internet.
To work toward the widest possible public access to the Internet, government and other information through Community Networks, other non-profit organizations, such as libraries, and other public access sites.
To expand the multicultural and inclusive nature of the Vancouver CommunityNet.
To expand and strengthen the membership and user base of VCN.
To build sustainability through ongoing funding, a strong and effective board and staff, and operational and financial accountability.
