It’s a fact! In Florida, poisonings are now a leading cause of accidental injury death in adults ages 24-65. The rise in death rates among adults is primarily due to misuse and abuse of prescription and over the counter medications. Any medication taken by the wrong person, in the wrong amount or in combination, can lead to a poisoning and possible death.
As new products come on the market and the packaging of medications, candies, foods, supplements and house hold cleaners increasingly look more alike, mistakes leading to poisonings will continue.
National Poison Prevention Week March 20 – 26, 2016
This Number Can save a Life! 1-800-222-1222
“Poison Control Centers are the only defense against injury and accidental death from an unintended exposure,” said Dr. Richard Weisman, Pharm. D., DABAT, FAACT, Program Director for Florida’s Poison Control Center in Miami.
During Poison Prevention Week, Poison Control Centers throughout the country encourage the public to program the national 1-800-222-1222 into all cell phones.
Poison Control Centers are available 24/7 for questions or emergencies. The hotline is a free, confidential and multilingual service, also capable of serving deaf callers. Real-time collection of data allows up to the minute monitoring of poisoning trends throughout Florida.
So, whether it’s a laundry pod, liquid nicotine, a medication mistake or a jellyfish sting, dialing 1-800-222-1222 will answer your question or emergency every time, day or night
Experts warn that when an adult or child might have ingested a poison, time is of the essence to save a life. “This is the time to emphasize that searching on Google for help with a poisoning is time consuming and risky; picking up the phone and dialing is immediate, accurate and effective. Time and accuracy are vital during a poisoning event. Why take any chances, when you can call and immediately reach a poison expert that is a specially trained doctor, nurse or pharmacist,” said Dr. Jeffery Bernstein, M.D., Medical Director for Florida’s Poison Control Center in Miami.
As a reliable provider of poison information, health care professionals can also call poison control when faced with complex poisonings.
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