National Poison Prevention Week

March 17-23 is National Poison Prevention Week, a week dedicated to highlighting the dangers of unintentional poisonings and how to prevent them. Many people think that the HRSA-funded toll-free Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222, which connects callers to their poison center, is only for emergencies involving kids, but that is not the case. The Poison Help line is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals as well. You can—and should—contact your poison center in non-urgent situations. Here are a few examples of how the trained toxicologists, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists at your local poison center can help you:


Poison control centers can offer continuing medical education and other training on a wide range of topics, including poison management, medication safety, disaster preparedness, and substance abuse.
Poison center specialists can talk with you about emerging hazards so that you feel more confident answering questions.
Your poison center can provide you with locally relevant information, such as what drugs are most commonly abused in your community or where parents can buy children’s products free from certain toxins.



Despite the lifesaving services poison centers have provided for 60 years, public and professional awareness about the availability of poison control resources and the nationwide Poison Help line is essential. Interpretation services are available in over 150 languages. For more information about the Poison Help line and the services that poison centers provide, visit www.PoisonHelp.hrsa.gov, available in English and Spanish. To order Poison Help magnets and stickers, visit http://www.ask.hrsa.gov or call 1-888-ASK-HRSA (275-4772), and indicate a bulk order request.