Topics and Expertise: public health

During the two weeks following Japan’s March 11, 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the California Poison Control System (CPCS) was as visible as ever, answering telephone calls on poisoning questions.

The California Poison Control System (CPCS) is now connecting with state residents through text messaging, Twitter updates, Facebook quizzes, online games, and even a mobile application (app), which was launched today as part of National Poison Prevention Week — March 20-29, 2011.

Taking potassium iodide in reaction to any perceived threat to California of radiation exposure from Japan is not advised for California residents at this time, according to Stuart Heard, PharmD, FCSHP, a faculty member in the

California Poison Control System (CPCS) pharmacist and toxicologist Kathryn Meier, PharmD, DABAT, cites hypertension, tachycardia, anxiety as among the symptoms seen in emergency room patients who have used synthetic cannabinoids.

The University of California, San Francisco-operated California Poison Control System (CPCS), which had already sent layoff notices to its employees January 15, 2010, has secured funding to rescind the notices and continue to care for Californians, through June 2010, via its free and immediate 24...

Poison experts nationally are tracking the fate of the California Poison Control System, as California state legislators work to pass an already overdue budget. Operation of the System is dependent upon sufficient state funding, the prospects for which remain bleak.

Layoff notices are predicted by mid-July 2009 for California Poison Control System employees unless adequate funding for the System is both included in a new California state budget and a new budget is soon passed by the state legislature.

As California legislators continued to wrangle over the details of a state budget bill, National Public Radio's Kelley Weiss covered the impact of potential cuts on the California Poison Control System.

Nancy Hessol, MSPH, UCSF School of Pharmacy faculty member, was honored on June 10, 2009 by the City and County of San Francisco with two awards for her service to the San Francisco Public Health Foundation.

San Francisco, CA (May 20, 2009)—Funding for poison control services has been completely eliminated from the California state budget. Beginning in September of 2009, California will become the only state in the nation without any emergency poison control services for residents or medical...