Maryland Poison Center Celebrates its 40th Year
The Maryland Poison Center (MPC), a service of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
By Ed Fishel
March 12, 2012
Since 1972, it has been the mission of the MPC to save lives and dollars by providing emergency triage and treatment information to Maryland’s citizens and health professionals. Serving 3.8 million Marylanders in Baltimore City and 21 counties, the center is staffed by certified poison information specialists 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The public can access the Poison Center by calling 1-800-222-1222.
“The School of Pharmacy’s Maryland Poison Center is a vital resource for the citizens of Maryland dealing with a poisoning emergency,” says Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP, professor and dean of the School. “Since its founding at the School of Pharmacy in 1972, the Poison Center has worked to decrease the cost and complexity of poisoning and overdose care while improving patient outcomes. The specially-trained pharmacists and nurses who staff the phone lines are uniquely qualified to assist callers in safely and effectively managing the poisoning situation.”
Recently, MPC director Bruce Anderson, PharmD, DABAT, was interviewed by Comcast NEWSMAKERS on the 40th anniversary of the center:
The MPC is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) as a regional poison center. All of the specialists have been certified by the AAPCC as specialists in poison information. On average, each specialist has more than 15 years of experience managing poisoning and overdose cases. In addition to the experience of the poison specialists, Anderson is board certified in Clinical Toxicology and the center’s medical director, Suzanne Doyon, MD, ACMT, is board certified in emergency medicine as well as in medical toxicology.
WBAL-TV broadcast a news story on the 40th anniversary, highlighting a family that was helped by the center:
The MPC has been a service of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy since 1972 and has grown over the years. During the first year, the center received 5,600 calls. Last year, the center handled over 63,000 calls.
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