Bill continues key program that helps families get emergency help and safety information
Senator Murray: “It’s terrifying having to worry about a potentially harmful exposure, and I know it is a massive relief for parents and others that help is available 24/7.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) announced their Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Poison Control Centers (PCC) Network program through 2029. Identical legislation cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in March.
The PCC Network program runs the Poison Control National Toll-Free hotline (1-800-222-1222) and 55 poison control centers nationwide—medical support facilities staffed by toxicologists, nurses, and other professionals operating 24 hours a day seven days a week. The program is supported by a combination of public and private funding. In 2022, the PCC Network responded to more than 2 million human exposures—receiving an exposure case every 15 seconds on average.
Senator Murray has led reauthorizing the PCC Network program throughout her time in the Senate, leading every reauthorization since 2003. Murray has worked with her colleagues to continually lead bipartisan improvements and reauthorization of the PCC Network every five years, most recently in 2019. Murray continues to champion authorization of this critical program.
“Supporting our Poison Control Centers Network has always been important to me because it’s a literal lifeline for tens of thousands of parents, patients, and health providers who turn to these vital resources for expert assistance in emergency situations,” said Senator Murray. “It’s terrifying having to worry about a potentially harmful exposure, and I know it is a massive relief for parents and others that help is available 24/7. I’m proud to once again lead the reauthorization of this important program and will work to get it across the finish line so that our Poison Control network can continue to help millions of families.”
“Poison Centers across the country play a critical role in keeping our families and kids safe,” said Senator Tuberville. “I’m particularly proud of Alabama’s Poison Center at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham. In addition to providing life-saving treatments, these centers do a great job helping families in crisis, mitigating the burden on emergency rooms, and tracking valuable data about the flow of illicit drugs across the country.”
“Poison control centers are a vital resource that save lives. Every day, 24 hours a day, the public and providers can call with emergencies and trained experts will be there. It’s critical that the Poison Control Centers Network is reauthorized and strengthened to ensure families and providers in New Mexico and across the country have reliable access to this important lifeline. Not only do Poison Control Centers get Americans timely, important information, it keeps them out of the hospital and saves money because every dollar invested in the poison center system saves $13.39 in medical costs and lost productivity,” said Senator Luján. “I’m honored to introduce this legislation that will help poison centers continue serving Americans while providing necessary resources for education and prevention.”
“Poison control centers play an important role in addressing opioid abuse, lead contamination, and food poisoning in our communities, and even on a national scale. Since its inception, the Utah Poison Control Center has supported more than two million poisoning crisis cases—the highest utilization per capita of any poison center in the nation,” Senator Romney said. “This legislation will reauthorize federal funding for poison control centers to maintain critical services like the 24-hour hotline, as well as provide for grants and public outreach programs.”
“For more than 70 years Poison Centers have saved countless American lives and continued to keep communities and families safe from poison-related emergencies. By providing expert, confidential, and free guidance through the Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222) Poison Centers also save health care dollars and prevent unnecessary hospital visits,” said Richard Fogelson, CEO of America’s Poison Centers. “Today, Poison Centers are often the unsung heroes on the front lines of responding to emerging public threats. We thank and extend our appreciation to Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Sen. Ben Luján (D-NM), and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) for championing our mission and recognizing the critical role the nation’s 55 Poison Centers play in protecting the nation’s public health.”
The Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024 reauthorizes the PCC Network program, Poison Control National Toll-Free phone number, and national media campaign, through 2029.
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
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