Sherrod Brown: “Every day these specially trained staff of pharmacists and nurses at poison control centers across the country field…”

“Every day these specially trained staff of pharmacists and nurses at poison control centers across the country field calls from frantic parents concerned that their child ingested a poisonous substance. They field calls from an elderly couple with questions about whether one medication might cause an adverse reaction if taken with another; and as the events of September 11 and the cases of anthrax have shown us, poison control centers field calls from concerned residents uncertain about the danger they have been exposed to. Handling an average of one poison exposure call every 15 seconds across the country, these men and women answer questions about poisonings, about drug abuse, about product contents, about adverse reactions. Legislation we are considering today will enhance the work of poison control centers through improved maintenance of a national toll-free number that is linked to regional poison control centers. This bill will help promote the nationwide media campaign to promote poison control center utilization.”