Poison Control Centers Save America Billions Of Dollars Every Year, Report Finds

Key TakeawaysU.S. Poison Centers save the nation billions each yearAbout $3.1 billion a year in medical costs and lost productivity are saved thanks to the centersFor every $1 spent on the centers, communities get back $16.77 in benefits.MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2026 (HealthDay News) — U.S. poison centers are an amazing investment, according to a new study, saving the nation $3.1 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity.For every dollar invested in poison centers, communities receive $16.77 in benefits, according to the report by the RAND think-tank on behalf of the organization America’s Poison Centers.These benefits include reduced ER use, shorter hospital stays, lower risk of premature death, better public health tracking and improved patient outcomes, RAND researchers wrote.“Our findings demonstrate that the economic and societal value of poison centers is significant,” lead researcher David Metz, a senior analyst at RAND, said in a news release. “Poison centers take strain off an already-burdened emergency health system, while saving lives and money.”The U.S. Poison Center Network is made up of 53 regional poison centers and their national accrediting organization, America’s Poison Centers.These centers serve every U.S. state and territory and provide free, confidential advice on managing poison exposures 24/7, researchers said in background notes.However, overall funding for the centers decreased by 8% between 2011 and 2024, leading America’s Poison Centers to commission the RAND study into the true value they provide.Besides the money saved, poison centers also offer harder-to-quantify benefits like poison prevention efforts, emergency preparedness, disaster response, and better peace of mind for communities and health care providers, the report said."Behind every number in this report is a real person who got immediate, expert help when they felt most vulnerable,” Richard Fogelson, CEO of America's Poison Centers, said in a news release."It was inspiring for us to see RAND measure the widespread impact of our network and how it dramatically reduces health care costs for the nation,” Fogelson added. “The report also reinforces the crucial role poison centers have in detecting and responding to the growing number of public health threats and disasters, enabling rapid and often life-saving coordination with federal, state and local agencies and first responders.”Based on the report’s findings, America’s Poison Centers estimates that federal funding for the centers save $450 million a year in health care costs. However, that funding has been affected by changes to federal programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.Despite the reduction in funding, poison centers have continued to modernize and now offer service through text and live chat services as well as the national hotline phone number.“Poison centers have been serving and protecting our communities for more than 70 years,” said Dr. Chris Holstege, director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.“While we continue to evolve with technology and the changing health care landscape, the reliability, expertise and trustworthiness of poison centers have not changed,” Holstege said in a news release. “Today, many poison centers are also doing more with less, responding to natural disasters, providing education to families and health care providers, and monitoring trends and emerging threats.”For help with a suspected poisoning, call 800-222-1222 or visit PoisonHelp.org.More informationAmerica’s Poison Centers has more on the U.S. Poison Center Network.SOURCES: America’s Poison Centers, news release, Jan. 21, 2026; Poison Prevention, Treatment, and Detection as Public Health Investments, Jan. 21, 2026.What This Means For YouPeople can get free, confidential help regarding suspected poisonings by calling the national poison hotline. It's open 24/7..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Poison Control Centers Save America Billions Of Dollars Every Year, Report Finds

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