Check Your Meds: Poison Prevention Week

During Poison Prevention Week, Americans are urged to do a better job of understanding exactly what medications they are taking.

Poison Prevention Week begins March twentieth and poison centers across the country present a question for Americans: How smart are you when it comes to the medications you take or give to your children.

Joan McVoy is a registered nurse with the Nebraska Regional Poison Center.

Poisoning has surpassed falls to become the nation’s second-leading cause of unintentional deaths and most Americans still believe that children are at greatest risk of poisoning deaths, when actually ninety-six percent of poisoning deaths occur in adults.

When taking or giving out prescription medications, the Poison Center advises everyone to speak up to their doctor when questions or concerns arise and always read the labels, especially for children.