Rate My Professor Yvette Millard

Yvette Millard is a Poisons Information Specialist at the National Poisons Centre, which is part of the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine in the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. The Centre delivers 24-hour poisons advice to the public and health professionals, managing around 25,000 calls per year related to exposures, overdoses, and envenomations. It maintains the TOXINZ database covering over 125,000 substances, utilized in more than 33 countries. Poisons Information Specialists hold degrees in health-related fields such as pharmacology or toxicology and receive specialized training in poisoning management, with support from medical toxicologists for challenging cases. Millard is among the long-serving staff highlighted during the Centre's 60th anniversary in 2025, where four key members accounted for 88 years of combined service.

Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from the University of Otago, complemented by a National Diploma in Ambulance Practice (Level 5). Millard's 2003 MSc thesis, "The effects of Valsartan, Enalapril, Felodipine and Fluvastatin on collagen content in vascular and renal tissue from the genetically hypertensive rat," explored pharmacological impacts on connective tissue in hypertension models. She co-authored the 2014 New Zealand Medical Journal article "Poisoning following exposure to chemicals stored in mislabelled or unlabelled containers: A recipe for potential disaster," which reviewed 757 cases from 2003-2012 out of 100,465 chemical exposure inquiries (0.75%). Findings showed 51% adult cases, 32% in children under 5, mainly unintentional, with medical intervention recommended in 26% of instances, underscoring the need for original containers and secure storage. Millard has also appeared in recent Toxicology and Poisons Network conference abstracts.