Sep 10 2009
The Health Resources and Services Administration has announced $24.5 million in grants to support the work of 55 poison control centers across the country.
"Poison control centers are our nation's primary defense against injury and deaths from poisonings," said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. "These grants help strengthen the centers' ability to carry out this life-saving work."
The grants help poison centers provide treatment recommendations for poisonings, comply with certification requirements, and conduct evaluations of poison prevention strategies and activities.
HRSA's Poison Control Program funds the national Poison Help toll-free number, 1-800-222-1222, which provides multilingual help from trained pharmacists and nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
More than two million poisonings are reported annually to poison control centers. Over half occur among children younger than age five and more than 70 percent can be treated over the phone with guidance from trained healthcare professionals.
Source: http://www.hrsa.gov