Poison Centers Save More Than $1.8 Billion Every Year
New Report Quantifies the Value of the American Poison Center System
A study by the Lewin Group confirms the value of the American poison center system, indicating that poison centers save Americans more than $1.8 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity. The Lewin Group’s analysis included the four most commonly referenced savings metrics (savings due to avoided medical utilization, reduced hospital length of stay, in-person outreach, and reduced work-loss days).
Read the Value of the Poison Center System report here.
See the related AAPCC Financial Survey results here.
Download an infographic here.
Access a summary of findings here.
Read the news release here.
NEW AAPCC WEBSITE COMING!
The AAPCC website is getting a facelift. Watch for the new site to be launched soon!
2013 CSPI Exam Scheduled for April 29-May 4, 2013
AAPCC 2013 Midyear Directors Meeting
The AAPCC 2013 Midyear Directors Meeting will be held Feb. 24 (check-in) through 26, 2013, at the Crystal City Marriott in Washington D.C. Tuesday, Feb. 26 will include an opportunity for members to make hill visits.
Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport
1999 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
AAPCC Issues Statement on the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act
On Monday, July 9, President Obama signed into law the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 as part of Senate Bill 3187, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act passed by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. America’s poison centers commend the nation’s policymakers for addressing the threat of synthetic drugs with this important legislation. Press release here.
AAPCC Laundry Detergent News Release
On May 18, 2012, the AAPCC sent out a news release warning parents about highly concentrated laundry detergent packs and urging them to keep their detergents up and away and out of reach of children. Read the news release here. Click here for an AAPCC factsheet about the issue. Click here to access safe laundry information from the American Cleaning Institute.
American Association of Poison Control Centers Joins Office of National Drug Control Policy Working Group in Addressing Dangers of Synthetic Drugs
At a recent meeting, Debbie Carr, AAPCC executive director, and Mark Ryan, director of the Louisiana Poison Center, provided information about the the epidemic of synthetic drugs from the poison center perspective, as well as data concerning the number of calls to poison centers about bath salts and synthetic marijuana. Click here to read the news release.
Poison Centers at Forefront in Identifying New Public Health Threats
Despite Essential Services, Funding Cuts Jeopardize Poison Centers
America’s 57 poison centers are among the first to identify emerging public health threats, most recently leading to the DEA’s ban on bath salts and synthetic marijuana. Despite the life-saving services provided by poison centers, however, state and federal funding cuts jeopardize the future of a nationwide poison center system. Read the news release here.
A Bitter Pill
In March 2011, the U.S. Congress cut federal funding for the nation’s poison control centers by 25 percent. In the next few months, poison centers may face additional funding cuts as Congress finalizes the 2012 federal budget.
An article in the August 2011 issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine describes why reducing funding to poison control centers doesn’t save money in the long run. In fact, the Institute of Medicine estimates that every dollar spent on U.S. poison centers saves $10 in avoided health-care costs each year.
Click here to read “A Bitter Pill.” Click here to access the Annals of Emergency Medicine.