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News

The Children's Hospital at Westmead has made headlines this week in a breakthrough discovery of a poisonous substance in the Bindeez beads toy.

Congratulations to our staff at the NSW Poisons Information Centre, Emergency Department and Biomedical Genetics for this diligent, speedy discovery, in particular to Scientist Kevin Carpenter, Dr Naren Gunja and Simon Gilmore of the Poisons Information Centre.

After two patients presented with similar symptoms, quick detective work uncoverered the swallowed chemical in the bead changed to GHB (liquid ecstasy) in the body. This work and its prompt communication in the interests of public health has saved other children from ill-health and this has been recognised by NSW Health who issued a media release giving credit to the Hospital.

The Deputy Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant said scientists and clinicians at The Children's Hospital at Westmead had identified the cause of illness affecting two children admitted to the Hospital.

"The persistence of the clinicians and scientists at The Children's Hospital at Westmead led to the successful identification of the toxin that had affected the two children."

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