Poison Centers prevent costly ER visits, reduce hospitalizations, and protect families every day

ARLINGTON, VA­—January 21, 2026—U.S. Poison Centers save $3.1 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity, according to a new report released today by America’s Poison Centers®. The report confirms the essential role Poison Centers play in: 1) strengthening the nation’s response to poisons and toxic emergencies (e.g., drugs, envenomation, environmental exposures, etc.), 2) providing accessible, expert toxicology guidance across the U.S. and its territories, 3) providing real-time public health surveillance, and 4) offering critical prevention and education services to save lives.

RAND conducted an independent evaluation of the monetary and societal benefits that U.S. Poison Centers provide to their communities and the nation. Specifically, the report estimates the monetary value of societal benefits provided per dollar spent operating the Poison Center Network. The report, “Poison Prevention, Treatment, and Detection as Public Health Investments,” estimates that for every $1 invested in Poison Center services, communities receive $16.77 in benefits. These cost-saving benefits reflect reduced emergency department use, shorter hospital stays, decreased mortality risk, enhanced public health surveillance, and improved patient outcomes. In addition to economic savings, the report highlights harder to quantify benefits, including Poison Centers’ contributions to prevention efforts, emergency preparedness, disaster response, and supporting peace of mind for communities and healthcare providers.

"Behind every number in this report is a real person who got immediate, expert help when they felt most vulnerable,” said Richard Fogelson, CEO of America's Poison Centers. "It was inspiring for us to see RAND measure the widespread impact of our network and how it dramatically reduces healthcare costs for the nation. 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.”

Despite their growing value, overall funding for Poison Centers has decreased by 8 percent from 2011 to 2024 in real dollars, in addition to a decrease in subsidized support. Based on findings from the report, America’s Poison Centers estimates that federally appropriated funds to Poison Centers save $450 million annually in healthcare costs, yet over the last decade federal and some state funding amounts have been cut or not been adjusted for inflation. Many Poison Centers also rely on other federal funding sources, including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), both of which have experienced impactful changes over the years. Amid rising healthcare costs, these budget cuts are an increasing threat to the ability of Poison Centers to provide life-saving services and essential 24/7 coverage.

“Poison Centers have been serving and protecting our communities for more than 70 years,” said Chris Holstege, M.D., Director, Blue Ridge Poison Center and Member, Board of Directors, America’s Poison Centers. “While we continue to evolve with technology and the changing healthcare landscape, the reliability, expertise, and trustworthiness of Poison Centers have not changed. Today, many Poison Centers are also doing more with less, responding to natural disasters, providing education to families and healthcare providers, and monitoring trends and emerging threats.”

The report found that Poison Centers have significantly modernized over the last decade, expanding beyond traditional telephone calls to offer text and live chat services to better meet the changing needs of the public and healthcare system. During this time, there has also been a shift in who is accessing Poison Center services. An increasing number of cases originated from healthcare providers and facilities, and a growing percentage of those cases involve more severe medical outcomes.

“Our findings demonstrate that the economic and societal value of Poison Centers is significant,” said David Metz, lead author of the report and a senior analyst at RAND. “Poison Centers take strain off an already-burdened emergency health system, while saving lives and money.”

For additional information, or to download a copy of the report, visit https://poisoncenters.org/national-impact-study.

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About America’s Poison Centers

America’s Poison Centers® represents the 53 accredited Poison Centers across the country. We are united in our cause to prevent poison-related health emergencies in America. Through the national Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222) and PoisonHelp.org our member centers provide all Americans expert advice. We also maintain the National Poison Data System® (NPDS), our nation’s only near real-time poisoning data surveillance system, integrating the latest information from across Poison Centers.

Media Contacts:

Maggie Maloney, Sr. Director of External Affairs, maloney@poisoncenters.org

Shauna Devitt, External Affairs Manager, devitt@poisoncenters.org