ABSTRACT
Poison centers were started in the late 1950s; the first were in the Chicago area. Cooperation between regional poison centers and poison treatment facilities is crucial. The staffing of poison centers varies considerably from center to center. A poison center medical director should be board-certified in medical toxicology or be board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, or emergency medicine. Poison center specialty consultants should be qualified by training or experience to provide sophisticated toxicology or patient care information in their area(s) of expertise. All types of calls are received by poison centers, most of which are handled immediately while others are referred to more appropriate agencies. Most poison centers have a system of peer review in place. The group in the United States that is most concerned on a daily basis with potential poisonings due to household agents, industrial agents, and biologies is the Amerian Association of Poison Control Centers.
