West Virginia Poison Center Celebrates National Poison Prevention Week

The West Virginia Poison Center (WVPC) joins with poison centers and poison prevention partners across the country in celebrating National Poison Prevention Week March 20 through 26, 2016. Since 1962, the President of the United States has proclaimed the third week of March as National Poison Prevention Week to raise awareness about the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. 

This year’s Poison Prevention Week focuses on:
Poisoned? Call our medical experts. 
The West Virginia Poison Center has medical experts (nurses, pharmacists, and doctors) ready for your call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

“Many people are turning to the Internet for answers about everything, including poisonings,” said West Virginia Poison Center Community Outreach Coordinator Carissa McBurney. “The West Virginia Poison Center has medical experts available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help those with poisoning emergencies or to answer questions about medications, household products, chemicals, bites and stings, plants and mushrooms, and any other poison. Poison Prevention Week offers a great opportunity to highlight how people can prevent poisonings as well as raise awareness about the immediate availability of medical experts at the West Virginia Poison Center.” 

In 2015, the West Virginia Poison Center answered nearly 40,000 exposure and information calls concerning poisons. The majority of our calls involved children, but anyone at any age can be poisoned. Approximately 70% of our calls occurred at a residence, but poisonings can also occur in the workplace, schools, healthcare facilities, and elsewhere. About 60% of the poison emergencies were treated at home. In addition to the public, health care professionals rely on West Virginia Poison Center experts to assist in poisoning exposures. In fact, about 25% of calls come from health care providers. 

“It’s good to know that expert help is just a phone call away when the unthinkable happens. Remember to save the West Virginia Poison Center number in your phone and post it in your home: 1-800-222-1222,” said McBurney. 

About the West Virginia Poison Center
The West Virginia Poison Center provides comprehensive emergency poison information, prevention and educational resources to West Virginians 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The WVPC is staffed by nurses, pharmacists and physicians with special training in treatment of poisonings. Located in Charleston, WV, the WVPC is a part of the West Virginia University-Charleston Division.  Toll-free:1-800-222-1222. Website:www.wvpoisoncenter.org.