In poison emergencies, who'll answer your call? - CNN.com
The Georgia Poison Center, above, is one of the agencies whose funding could be cut by Congress.(CNN) -- Congress might cut most of the federal funding for your local poison control center, which could mean a longer wait during your next poison-related emergency.
Measure H.R. 1 would cut $27.3 million, or about 93%, of federal funding for poison control centers across the United States. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives, but rejected by the Senate on March 9. Congressional leaders now need to negotiate a final spending measure, and that bill might include cuts to the poison control centers.
"My feeling is that just based on my experience, it would end up costing lives somewhere along the way," says Jo Anne Bryant, a nurse with 30 years experience who recently called a poison center when her husband, Ronald, accidentally inhaled pesticide fumes while cleaning out the garage. "I've dealt with some emergencies in this field over my career, but I was completely at a loss as to what to do. When it came to this, I felt completely helpless." [...]
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