General medical words
What Is a Poison Control Center? When and Why to Call
Poison control center · say it: POY-zun kun-TROHL SEN-terAlso written: poison control, poison centre, poison information centre, poisons helpline
Short answer
A poison control center is an expert phone service that gives urgent advice if someone may have swallowed or been exposed to too much of something.
What it means
A poison control center is a service, usually reached by phone, staffed by specialists such as nurses, pharmacists and doctors trained in poisoning. They give advice on what to do if someone has swallowed, breathed in, or got on their skin or in their eyes something harmful, including too much of a medicine. In the US, poison centers are reached on 1-800-222-1222; other countries have their own numbers or advise calling emergency services.
Medicine labels, especially over-the-counter ones, say 'In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.' The warning is telling you not to wait for symptoms. With some medicines, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen), a person can feel fine at first even after a harmful amount, so early advice matters.
A poison control center gives advice; it is not an ambulance. If someone is unconscious, having a seizure or struggling to breathe, call emergency services first.
Where you may see it
- The 'Overdose' line on over-the-counter medicine labels
- Household chemical and cleaning product labels
- Pediatric safety leaflets
📄 How it looks on a report
In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It is not only for children or for deliberate overdoses; anyone can call.
- Feeling well after taking too much does not mean it is harmless.
- It is not a replacement for emergency services when someone is seriously unwell.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “Poison control center”
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💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Poison control center”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Amitriptyline
An antidepressant of the tricyclic type
- Amlodipine
a calcium channel blocker, a type of medicine that relaxes blood vessels
- Aspirin
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and a platelet aggregation inhibitor
- Atorvastatin
a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type
- Carvedilol
A beta-blocker. The FDA lists it as both an alpha-adrenergic blocker and a beta-adrenergic blocker.
- Dolutegravir
an HIV-1 integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), a type of HIV medicine
- Estradiol
An estrogen hormone medicine
- Fexofenadine
an antihistamine, an allergy medicine sold over the counter
- Finasteride
a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, a medicine that blocks an enzyme involved in making a hormone called DHT
- Gabapentin
An antiepileptic (seizure) medicine. The label also describes it as a treatment for nerve pain after shingles.
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Poison control center” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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