Bio: Michael Eddleston is Professor of Clinical Toxicology at the University of Edinburgh. He has worked on pesticide suicides for thirty years, focusing on Sri Lanka. His research has covered the natural history of pesticide poisoning (ie. what happens after people ingest various pesticides), the medical treatment of poisoned patients, and strategies for prevention of deaths from pesticide suicides. He has worked in Asia for 25 years, co-establishing the South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration which has revitalized Asian clinical toxicology, completed multiple RCTs (3 Lancet papers), and changed global policy/practice on pesticide poisoning. He has interacted with the United Nations to bring it to the forefront of global public health and built up a group of world-leading academic researchers who are passionate about the subject.

Abstract: Pesticide self-poisoning is a major public health issue, particularly in agricultural communities in low- and middle-income countries, where it accounts for a significant proportion of suicides. While interventions such as improved pesticide storage and clinical treatments have had limited success in reducing mortality, regulatory action to ban highly hazardous pesticides has proven to be the most effective strategy. Research has shown that the removal of the most toxic pesticides from agricultural use leads to substantial reductions in suicide rates without harming agricultural productivity. Large-scale studies on pesticide poisoning have highlighted the limited efficacy of treatments such as activated charcoal and high dose pralidoxime, reinforcing the need for preventative approaches. Evidence from countries that have implemented bans demonstrates the life-saving potential of targeted regulatory measures. As global efforts focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of a 30% reduction in suicide by 2030, pesticide regulation remains a cost-effective and scalable intervention. This presentation will review the evidence base for pesticide bans as a suicide prevention strategy and discuss their role in shaping public health policy worldwide.