On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-Auburn) Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed unanimously out of committee, 21-0.
The legislation reauthorizes America's Poison Control Center's appropriations for five years through 2029, providing life-saving care to millions of families, including Alabamians.
During a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) markup, Tuberville touted the legislation, which he introduced last week with U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), as a means to "deliver top-tier care research, education advocacy to prevent poison-related harm, contain costs and save lives."
According to Alabama's senior U.S. Senator, the Alabama Poison Control Center handled over 107,000 calls in 2023, which helped stem the number of people going to the emergency room.
Partial transcript as follows:
Thank you for including this lifesaving legislation in today's markup. I'm happy to introduce this bill with Sen. Murray—S.4351—is the Poison Control Center Reauthorization Act [of 2024]. This bill reauthorizes America's Poison Control Center's appropriations for five years through FY2029. There are 55 accredited U.S. poison centers in the United States serving all 50 states and territories. Poison centers [and] dedicated teams of nurses, pharmacists and toxicologists work to safeguard Americans by providing 24/7, 365 coverage.
Their mission is simple: Deliver top-tier care research, education advocacy to prevent poison-related harm, contain costs and save lives. Poison Control Center data is uploaded into the National Poison Data System within five minutes of being entered into local surveillance—allowing identification of emerging public health threats. I'm particularly proud of the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children's Hospital in Alabama. It was the 14th center established in the United States, and they have also developed the nation's first comprehensive snake bite program including a post-discharge snake bite clinic.
The Alabama Poison Control Center handled over 107,000 calls last year, not only do these centers save lives, but they also save the health care system tons of money. Of the incoming calls to the Alabama Center, 85% of those were able to be monitored in the home – meaning those folks did not have to visit the ER.
I couldn't be more proud of our center in Alabama and the other poison control centers across the country. I'm pleased to be able to lead this reauthorization with Senators Murray, Romney and Lujan, and I look forward to the bill's passage.
"The PCC Network program runs the Poison Control National Toll-Free hotline (1-800-222-1222) and 55 poison control centers nationwide—medical support facilities staffed by toxicologists, nurses, and other professionals operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week," a Tuberville press release noted. "The program is supported by a combination of public and private funding. In 2022, the PCC Network responded to more than 2 million human exposures—receiving an exposure case every 15 seconds on average. Alabama’s Poison Information Center is housed at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham."
Identical legislation cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in March.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email trent.baker@1819news.com.
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