Congressmembers Susan Brooks (R-Ind.-05), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wa.) introduced H.R. 501, the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019, to assist with potential poison exposures and help combat the national opioid epidemic.
Brooks
Poison control centers are vital to preventing toxic exposure and poisoning injury and deaths, including opioid and other drug overdoses. This bill reauthorizes funding for the Poison Center Network, including their national toll-free number (800) 222-1222. It also clarifies that poison control centers can be called upon to assist with public health emergencies, responses and preparedness; and requests that enhanced communications capabilities like texting be established.
“On behalf of the 1,852 Hoosiers who died of an opioid overdose in 2017, I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce this bill because poison control centers are essential to combatting the deadly opioid crisis,” said Brooks. “These centers across the country are fielding almost 192 cases a day of opioid abuse and misuse and compile data that can be used to discover hotspots for opioid abuse and misuse. It is important we reauthorize the national network of poison control centers because they save lives by offering free, confidential and expert medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”