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Arlington, VA – The 37th Annual Report of the National Poison Data System (NPDS) is a retrospective analysis of the prior years poison exposures and emerging public health hazards. Conducted by leading toxicologists, the report can be used to review trends around top poison exposures and the distribution of exposures by age. The report reveals that in 2019 poison control centers managed approximately 2.1 million human exposure cases. The full report contains a comprehensive overview of cases managed by poison control centers in 2019 and can be accessed here.

“I would like to thank the staff of the nation’s 55 poison control centers for their dedication to providing expert treatment advice through the Poison Help Hotline,” said Richard Fogelson, American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) Chief Executive Officer. “The nationwide data collected by our specialists provides valuable public health surveillance by monitoring the causes, scope and locations of poison exposures in the U.S.” Notably, the landscape for tobacco products continues to change and the report shows that vaping/e-cigarettes continue to cause serious lung injury (EVALI) and death.

As in previous years, the majority of exposures were reported from a residence, but poison control centers also received a significant number of calls from places of work, school, and healthcare facilities. About 66% of exposures reported to centers were treated at the exposure site, saving millions of dollars in medical expenses. In addition to our timely treatment recommendations, centers’ education departments raise awareness about poison prevention and the importance of calling the Poison Help Hotline (1-800-222-1222) in a poison emergency.

AAPCC maintains NPDS, the only poison information and surveillance database in the United States, providing near real-time monitoring of unusual poisoning patterns, chemical exposures and other emerging public health hazards. NPDS contains information on more than 70 million poison exposures.

Four ways to prepare, prevent, and protect against poisoning:

1. Text POISON to 797979 to save the Poison Help Hotline as a contact in your mobile phone.

2. Save the Poison Help Hotline number, 1-800-222-1222, into your mobile phone.

3. Display the Poison Help Hotline contact number throughout your home.

4. Get Info:

Web: www.aapcc.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AAPCC

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aapcc/