1960 Medical batch, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

A book co-authored by Lakshman Karalliedda

Public health manual scoops book prize

11 September 2009

AN INDISPENSABLE guide to toxicology, prepared by Health Protection Agency and King's College London staff, has won a top book award.

The Essentials of Toxicology for Health Protection: a handbook for field professionals was published in September 2008 by the HPA and was aimed at health protection consultants, public health specialists, environmental health scientists, emergency services, workers in the water and waste industries and other industrial and regulatory bodies.

Put together by the HPA's chemicals and poisons experts in partnership with colleagues from specialist organisations, the idea was to provide an introduction to toxicology as well as how to apply it in real world acute and chronic chemical incidents.

And now the book has been awarded first prize in the Public Health category at the BMA Medical Book of the Year Awards 2009.

Prof Virginia Murray, a Medical Toxicology Consultant and a co-editor of the book who heads up the HPA's chemicals and poisons London team, said: "Competition in this category was fierce and we are delighted to have won.

"This handbook would never have been completed without the dedication and commitment of all the authors and contributors. I am grateful for their thoroughly professional, expert approach to writing a vital handbook that, as the BMA judges said, 'filled a much needed niche perfectly.'

"I am very proud to be part of such a great team of enthusiastic and talented toxicologists and scientists."

A reviewer in the BMA award programme booklet described the HPA publication as an 'ideal general introduction' to public health and health protection and praised its layout.

Justin McCracken, Chief Executive of the Health Protection Agency, said: "It is an honour to have won this prestigious award and we are very proud of our team's achievement."

Notes to Editors

• The book is available to buy through the HPA website. Visit http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Publications/BookshopItems/ for details.
• The Chemical Hazards and Poisons Division is part of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards.
• The annual BMA Medical Book of the Year Awards were held on Tuesday evening in London and prizes were handed out in 26 categories.
• For more information contact Matthew Pardo on 01235 822745.
  

Last reviewed: 11 September 2009