Press Release

National Capital Poison Center Announces Closure of its Call Center and Transition to the Nation’s First Fully-Automated, All-Digital Poison Control Center

Washington, D.C. — [March 31, 2025] — The National Capital Poison Center (NCPC) announces the closure of its call center, effective March 31, 2025, due to inadequate governmental funding, with a projected deficit approaching half of the call center’s annual operating cost. For 44 years, the NCPC call center has been a trusted resource, providing expert guidance during poison emergencies, saving countless lives and decreasing healthcare costs. Importantly, there was no interruption in poison control services for the residents of Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland. Instead, these individuals now have a choice of getting help with poisonings online through NCPC’s fully-automated digital tool, webPOISONCONTROL®, or by continuing to call the toll-free national poison control number 800-222-1222. Calls from areas previously served by NCPC have been re-routed to neighboring poison centers in Maryland and Virginia where telephone-based services will be consolidated.

The NCPC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has taken on a new role as the first fully-automated, all-digital poison control center, and has expanded its service area to the entire US. This transition was enabled by webPOISONCONTROL, the organization's innovative online tool for triage and treatment guidance for poison exposures. Launched in 2014 to meet the needs of users who do not want to or cannot call Poison Control, a decade of case data, user reviews, and two peer-reviewed academic publications have shown the app to be highly effective, offering an accessible alternative to traditional telephone-based poison control call centers while maintaining the highest standards of care and safety, revolutionizing the way the public accesses poison advice. webPOISONCONTROL offers a user-friendly, quick, accessible, and accurate self-guided interface to assess potential poison risks and determine immediate next steps. Available 24/7, the tool is particularly valuable in time-sensitive situations, providing users with customized recommendations based on age, substance, amount ingested, symptoms, time since the exposure, and other factors. The online tool and app have managed more than one million cases. Free, publicly-available aggregated case data are available through the webPOISONCONTROL Data Analysis Dashboard.

“The success of webPOISONCONTROL showcases the transformation of public health services through technology,” said Toby Litovitz, MD, webPOISONCONTROL Director and founder of the National Capital Poison Center. “The tool provides a trusted resource for those who prefer not to use the telephone. While certainly not replacing traditional telephone-based poison centers, webPOISONCONTROL supplements their services by reaching a population that wouldn’t otherwise benefit from expert triage and treatment recommendations. Moreover, webPOISONCONTROL provides poison help at a fraction of the cost of a call to Poison Control. Together, the two services ensure that anyone in the US can get free, expert help in a poison emergency.”

With the NCPC’s call center closure, other accredited poison control centers in the national network will seamlessly handle all poison control calls originating from the affected regions. These centers will provide the same expert guidance and emergency support that NCPC callers have come to rely on. NCPC emphasizes that this transition will not disrupt service in any way. Residents can continue to access poison guidance by calling the national poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or by using webPOISONCONTROL at https://www.poison.org. Note that in cases of pregnancy, extremes of age (younger than 6 months or older than 79 years), exposure to multiple substances, or self-harm, the best choice is to call. In most other poison exposure cases, webPOISONCONTROL can assist. In 2024, the tool managed 71% of cases at home, safely, without a call to Poison Control or trip to the emergency room or other health care facility.

NCPC is grateful to the community for 44 years of trust and support. While the call center’s closure marks the end of an era, NCPC remains committed to advancing poisoning prevention and response through webPOISONCONTROL and other innovative initiatives.

About the National Capital Poison Center & webPOISONCONTROL

The National Capital Poison Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing poisonings, saving lives, and reducing healthcare costs through emergency assistance and public education. webPOISONCONTROL is a free online service created to help users identify and respond to potential poison exposures. Designed by toxicologists, webPOISONCONTROL provides quick, accurate, and accessible answers, with the safety of users as its top priority. webPOISONCONTROL is funded entirely by donations. Corporate sponsorships are available.

For more information, contact:

Toby Litovitz, MD

Help from Poison Control is available at www.poison.org or 1-800-222-1222, whether you have a poisoning emergency or just a question. Online or on the phone, Poison Control is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

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