The 41st Annual Report of the National Poison Data System Provides Critical Insights Into Poisoning Trends

America's Poison Centers releases the 2023 Annual Report of the National Poison Data System (NPDS), a critical resource for understanding and addressing the challenges of poisoning in the United States. The report captures exposures from all U.S. Poison Centers and provides valuable data that can inform prevention strategies, improve patient care, and identify emerging public health threats.

Through the Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222) and website (poisonhelp.org), America's Poison Centers serves the entire population of the United States, providing free, expert, and confidential poison help 24/7, 365 days a year. In 2023, U.S. Poison Centers responded to 2,421,251 total cases, on average receiving a new case every 15 seconds. This represents an increase in human exposures compared to 2022, demonstrating the continued stability and vital role of Poison Centers in public health. In 2023, Poison Centers documented over 15,000 more human exposure cases from healthcare facilities than 2022. More serious outcomes (moderate, major, death) cases increased by 1,300, reinforcing the complexity and acuity of cases managed by Poison Centers.

"This year's report underscores the critical role of poison centers as a cornerstone of public health," said Dr. Alvin Bronstein, MD, FACEP, board president of America's Poison Centers. "The report is as a powerful testament to the essential role Poison Centers play in keeping millions of Americans safe from poisonings. The data highlights emerging threats, such as unregulated substances, and the increasing complexity of cases, emphasizing the continued need for robust public education efforts."

2023 Annual Report highlights include:

• Human exposures with more serious outcomes have increased by 4.25% per year since 2000, highlighting the increasing complexity of cases managed by Poison Centers.
• Unregulated (non-cannabinoid) psychoactive substances were identified as an emerging public health threat. The report analyzed a 10-year trend of single-substance exposure cases involving unregulated psychoactive substances that included nitrous oxide, phenibut, tianeptine, and kratom. These substances, often marketed as "nootropics," are readily available and pose significant public health risks due to their lack of regulation. These substances have a high incidence of serious medical outcomes (51.5%-68.2%) and hospitalization (33.1%-56.5%). There were significant rates of withdrawal syndromes associated with phenibut (12.8%) and tianeptine (17.5%), with over 30% of patients experiencing withdrawal syndromes while managed at a healthcare facility requiring hospitalization. Analysis highlights a clear need for regulation and public education associated with the risk of using unregulated substances.
• Poison Centers have continued to see an increase in pediatric exposures to water beads. This corresponds with the growing concern in recent years about the risks associated with water beads from parents, pediatricians, and other public health experts. The report includes a data snapshot that analyzed 10 years of water bead exposures in children. While no deaths were reported to Poison Centers, a significant increase in pediatric exposures (1,820% in the last 5 years) and a rise in healthcare interventions (from 8% in 2019 to 23% in 2023) highlights the growing health burden and risk associated with these seemingly safe toys.

For more information, or to read a full copy of the 2023 National Poison Data System Annual Report, visit: https://www.poisoncenters.org/annual-reports.

For poison-related questions or emergency assistance, contact:

• Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 to speak with a poison expert, or
• Visit PoisonHelp.org (the official website for America’s Poison Centers) for resources and support.

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Contact:

Maggie Maloney

America’s Poison Centers

Sr. Director of External Affairs

maloney@poisoncenters.org