Maintain Funding for Poison Control

Background

In 1997, 81 children ages 14 years and under died due to unintentional poisoning. Of these deaths, more than 50 percent were children ages five and younger (1). In 1998, more than 2.2 million human poison exposures were reported to poison control centers in the United States -- almost 53 percent, or more than 1 million, of these poisoning victims were children ages five and under (2). More than 90 percent of all poison exposures occur in homes (2).

Poison control centers are staffed on a 24-hour basis, 365 days a year by toxicologists and specialists in poison information who respond to calls from the general public as well as healthcare providers for immediate information and treatment advice about poisonings. They provide expert emergency advice without charge, offer early telephone triage of poisoning cases, assist parents and caretakers in managing simple exposures at home and recommend hospital evaluation for patients suspected of serious exposure (3).

Policies

1. Governments should maintain funding for poison control centers.
   
   In February 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act. The law mandates the establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number to be used to access regional poison control centers. A nationwide media campaign will be conducted to increase awareness about poison control centers and the new toll-free phone number. In addition, $25 million a year has been allocated in grants to regional poison control centers for the purpose of achieving the financial stability of these centers to continue providing prevention and treatment recommendations for poisonings. Funding under this act is authorized for fiscal years 2000 through 2004 (4). Although this act represents a forward in the continued financial viability of poison control centers, at this time the funds have only been authorized, but not yet appropriated. There still exists the need for additional stable funding to maintain, increase and improve poison control center services.
   
   
2. In all geographic areas, the public should be able to access poison information via a toll-free telephone number.
   
   Each year more than two million callers seek telephone assistance from staff at poison control centers throughout the United States (2). Clearly, poison control centers contribute invaluable services to public health.
   
   

Poison Control Centers

Poison control centers are cost efficient and economical. More than 70 percent of their cases are resolved over the telephone while the patient remains at home or at the site of exposure (2). This eliminates unnecessary emergency room visits, ambulance use, hospital admissions and treatment delays. Miller and Lestina estimate that poison control centers reduced the number of emergency department and physician office visits for poisoning cases in 1992 by approximately 350,000 and poisoning hospitalizations by 40,000 (5). For every dollar spent on poison control centers, seven dollars in medical costs are saved (4). If every American had access to a certified poison control center, an additional $545 million in medical costs would be saved annually (6).

Contacts

Rose Ann Soloway, RN, MSEd, ABAT,
Associate Director
American Association of Poison Control Centers
3201 New Mexico Ave., NW, Suite 310
Washington D.C. 20016
Phone:202-362-7217
Fax: 202-362-8377
E-mail: aapcc@poison.org

David Lawrence, Center Director
Center for Injury Prevention Policy and Practice
San Diego State University
6505 Alvarado Road, Suite 208
San Diego, CA 92120
Phone: (619) 594-3691
Fax: (619) 594-1994
E-mail: dlawrenc@mail.sdsu.edu
Web site: http://www.cippp.org

References

1. Unintentional Poisoning Deaths and Rates per 100,000. Office of Statistics and Programming, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC. Web site: http://webapp.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate.html, April 12, 2000.
   
   
2. Litovitz, TL, et al. 1998 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 1999. 17: 435-487.
   
   
3. #5-Fund Poison Control Centers. Ten Things You Can Do To Save a Child's Life. Children's Safety Network, National Injury Data Technical Assistance Center. Web site: http://www.nidtac.org/10things/thing-5.htm. February 15, 2000.
   
   
4. Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act. 106-174. February 25, 2000.
   
   
5. Miller TR and Lestina DC. Costs of Poisoning in the United States and Savings From Poison Control Centers: A Benefit-Cost Analysis. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 1997. 29 (2): 239-245.
   
   
6. Miller TR. The Costs of Poisoning and the Savings from Poison Control Centers: A Benefit-Cost Analysis. Testimony to Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee, House Committee on Government Operations, March 15, 1994.
   
   

Acknowledgements

Leroy Frazier. Jr., M.S.P.H., C.H.E.S., Director, South Carolina Dept. of Health and Environmental Control, Injury & Disability Branch, Columbia, SC.

Chris Hanna, M.P.H., National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health Safety, Marshfield, WI.

Diane Winn, M.P.H., R.N., University of California-Irvine, Pediatric Injury Prevention Research Group, Irvine, CA.

David F. Zane, M.S., Director, Texas State Department of Health, Injury Epidemiology and Surveillance Program, Austin, TX.


We extend special thanks to the California Center for Childhood Injury Prevention (CCCIP) for their extensive contribution and commitment to the production of this publication.