Facts: webPOISONCONTROL

About webPOISONCONTROL

• What it is: webPOISONCONTROL^® is an innovative online triage tool that guides users faced with a poison emergency through a series of simple questions to determine the toxicity. It helps you decide what to do when substances are swallowed, splashed in the eye or on the skin, inhaled, or injected. It also helps with bites and stings.

• What it does: After providing the name of the product (or scanning the product's barcode or entering a pill imprint), amount swallowed, age, weight, specific symptoms, and the time since the exposure, the user is given a specific recommendation. That recommendation could be: it's safe to stay home because toxicity is minimal; go immediately to the ER; or call your poison center (1-800-222-1222 in the US) for further guidance. When it's safe to stay home, the user is also given information on specific symptoms that are likely to occur and are not of concern, and symptoms that should trigger a call to s poison center or an ER visit, should they develop.

• Where to get it: webPOISONCONTROL is an online web tool (at webpoisoncontrol.org and poison.org) as well as a free mobile app, downloadable on the App Store or on Google Play.

• Launch: The tool was launched at the end of 2014. Extensive safety testing has been conducted. The app has now handled 1.2 million poison exposure cases, including more than 157,000 in 2025. Enhancements are implemented continuously.

• Who created it? Sponsored by the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, DC, toxicologists in many US poison centers have provided expertise for the project.

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Why was webPOISONCONTROL developed?

• Accurate info online: webPOISONCONTROL was developed to respond to a shift in the way people access health information, with a growing use of computers and smart phones to obtain information on the internet instead of by telephone. Prior to the launch of webPOISONCONTROL, case-specific poison information available on the internet was limited and often inaccurate.

• Decrease poison center costs: Most US poison centers struggle with inadequate funding despite providing life-saving and cost-saving services. A recent study pegged that cost savings at $13.39 per dollar spent on poison centers. Once utilization increases, webPOISONCONTROL may decrease the cost of providing poison exposure triage and treatment nationally, providing some relief from the financial challenges and markedly improving the cost-benefit realized by providing readily accessible, free and expert triage and treatment guidance.

When you can use webPOISONCONTROL instead of calling a poison center

• Choose the way you access help for a poison exposure. If you prefer the internet over the phone, don't have cell service, or can't make a phone call, try webPOISONCONTROL.

• Who can be helped online? The app is for unintentionally poison exposures in humans (not pets). Don't use it if you are pregnant, younger than 6 months, older than 79 years, or have taken more than one substance.

• Who should call: If you'd rather talk to a real person or don't meet the criteria for online help, call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222 for immediate assistance.

• Don't guess. Use webPOISONCONTROL or call your poison center. Both are expert, free and confidential.

What you can do

• Be prepared for a poison emergency: download the app to your mobile device before you need it! And try it out, being careful to check the box "This is not a real case."

• Donate. webPOISONCONTROL is funded entirely by charitable contributions. Maintaining and enhancing the app costs $3.5 million/year. Please help. Donate now.