New number for California Poison Control System advice line

The California Poison Control System (CPCS) announces adoption of the nationwide toll-free number 1-800-222-1222, which instantly routes California residents to CPCS poison experts. The new number is effective now, although the original toll-free CPCS number remains active.

The announcement is being made during National Poison Prevention Week March 21-28, established to highlight the importance of poison awareness to consumers.

The California Poison Control System telephone advice line will remain a fast, free and confidential service staffed at all times by pharmacists, registered nurses and poison information providers, available to talk with consumers on a wide range of poison-related topics from common household poisonings to potential bio-terrorism.

CPCS staff have access to physician toxicologists at all times. Callers can also request brochures and refrigerator magnets over the phone or through the CPCS Web Site www.calpoison.org.

“The value of the new number,” says Stuart Heard, PharmD, executive director of the CPCS,” is that poison control centers throughout the nation are also adopting the national number, allowing one common easy-to-remember number to be available 24/7 for our mobile society.”

The CPCS is managed by the School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco.

CPCS has four Divisions, located at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center in San Francisco, Children’s Hospital Central California in Fresno/Madera and the UC San Diego Medical Center in San Diego. The CPCS is responsible to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority.