Lee Terry: “As our primary defense against injury and death from poisoning, poison control centers are a vital part of our health…”

“As our primary defense against injury and death from poisoning, poison control centers are a vital part of our health care system in the United States. Few people realize poisoning is the second most common form of unintentional death in the United States. In 2005 there were over 26,000 deaths in the United States caused by the ingestion of poisons that resulted from approximately 5 million incidents of poison exposure. And without question, the number of deaths and debilitating injuries resulting from poisoning would be significantly higher if it weren't for the strong network of poison centers we already have, and with the passage of the legislation before us today, I am confident that we can make a great program even better.”