The American Association of Poison Control Centers is a national non-profit organization representing each of the 55 poison control centers in the United States, the more than 1,700 professionals these centers employ, as well as other poison-related organizations. AAPCC’s mission is to actively advance the health care role and public health mission of its members through information, advocacy, education, and research.
As overseen by a Board of Directors elected from the membership, AAPCC:
- Provides accreditation of U.S. poison control centers
- Certifies poison control center personnel
- Represents poison control centers in working with the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) on matters pertaining to the national Poison Help number: 1-800-222-1222
- Provides continuing education opportunities for poison control center staff
- Operates PoisonHelp.org, an online poison exposure triage tool designed to reach a segment of the public uncomfortable with calling for treatment advice
- Owns and maintains the National Poison Data System (NPDS)
- Conducts toxicosurveillance in collaboration with federal agencies
- Produces annual reports on poison data and provides custom data reports from NPDS
- Compliments the efforts of poison control centers in preventing poisonings and promoting the use poison control center services
- Oversees national partnerships related to poison prevention education
- Provides the media, national organizations, and federal agencies access to an extensive network of toxicologists who specialize in a variety of subject matters
- Co-hosts the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology, the leading national event on toxicology issues and topics
- Works with Congress and federal agencies to drive statutory, regulatory, and voluntary standards changes to positively impact public health and safety
- Partners with the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists to issue the associations’ official journal—Clinical Toxicology
