National Poison Prevention Week 2026

2026 National Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW) was established by Congress in 1961 and is observed the third week of March every year to raise awareness of poison safety and prevention! This year, NPPW is March 15 - 21, and "When the Unexpected Happens, Poison Help is Here for You!"

Poison Centers are available 24/7/365 days a year to provide fast, free, confidential, and expert advice. Be prepared and save 1-800-222-1222 to your phone today!

Our NPPW Partner Toolkit from America's Poison Centers is now available - click below for social media graphics and captions in both English and Spanish!

Download our Partner Toolkit

The National Impact of Poison Centers

An independent study from RAND shows that United States Poison Centers save $3.1 billion annually in healthcare costs and benefits! The Drug & Poison Center (DPIC) is one of 53 regional poison centers nationwide that are accredited through America's Poison Centers. The Cincinnati Drug and Poison Center provides regional support for half of Ohio's population, approximately 6 milliion residents across 25 counties in Southwest and Northeast Ohio.

Poison centers help reduce healthcare costs by eliminating unecessary emergency department visits, reducing emergency transportation costs, shortening hospital stays, and decreasing mortality risk. According to the study, for every $1 spent on poison center services, communties receive $16.77 in benefits. Other benefits of poison centers that are difiicult to measure include prevention, education, emergency preparedness, and increased peace of mind.

Despite their value, poison centers have seen an 8% decrease in funding from 2011 to 2014, which makes it challenging for poison centers to provide life-saving services and expert 24/7/365 coverage.

These findings are consistent with data from Ohio Poison Centers. In 2025, Ohio Poison Centers handled over 85,000 poisoning cases, 70% of which were managed outside of a healthcare facility. In addition, we provide valuable community education and outreach services on poison prevention and toxicology. We are available 24/7/365 to provide free and confidential advice at 1-800-222-1222.

View the full report here!

NPPW 2026 - Activities & Games to Test Your Poison Knowlege

Children's Activity Book

Adult Brain Games

Visit our blog and website for additional resources throuhgout NPPW!

Like & share using the hashtag #NPPW26

"When the Unexpected Happens, Poison Help is Here for You!"

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Editors: Alysha Currie RN, MSN, CSPI, OCPC, ICPS, CARN; Sheila Goertemoeller, PharmD, DABAT, OCPC, ICPS, FAACT; Julia Conroy, MAEd, MCHES; Jewel Page, BS; Jonathan Colvin, RN, MS, CSPI; Shan Yin, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACMT

The opinions expressed herein are those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publisher or supporting institutions. DPIC is a service of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Children’s Hospital Research Foundation. Services are also supported by: the US Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA), the Ohio Department of Health, Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS). Additional support for DPIC services is provided by Cuyahoga Department of Health and Human Services and additional member hospitals.