Maryland Poison Center

What Maryland Poison Center does

The Maryland Poison Center, established in 1972, is a 24/7 telephone-based poison control service operated as a program of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore. It is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) as a regional poison center and is staffed by pharmacists and nurses nationally certified as Specialists in Poison Information (SPI), with more than 250 years of combined clinical toxicology experience. Effective April 1, 2025, the center expanded its coverage to all 23 Maryland counties, Baltimore City, and the District of Columbia, taking over territory previously served by the National Capital Poison Center; it now handles approximately 56,000 poisoning and exposure cases annually, with more than 65% of cases managed safely at home without an emergency department visit. Its service portfolio includes the 1-800-222-1222 hotline, the PoisonHelp.org digital companion tool, public education programs (e.g., Mr. Yuk packets, the eAntidote blog, the bimonthly Poison Prevention Press newsletter), and professional education offerings including the monthly ToxTidbits newsletter, antidote recommendation publications, EMS training, and a Clinical Toxicology Fellowship.

The center is funded as a public health service through the Maryland Department of Health, DC Health, and federal sources via the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). All services are provided free of charge to the public; the operating model has no commercial revenue, no venture or equity backing, and no shareholders. Documented outcomes include $16.77 in healthcare cost savings per $1 invested (per AAPCC reporting) and $3.1B in annual system-wide savings across the 57-center national poison center network. The center maintains strategic partnerships with the AAPCC, Safe Kids affiliates, the DEA for National Drug Take-Back Days, and the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for overdose surveillance and research collaborations. There is no indication of AI, machine learning, or proprietary technology platforms in the operating model; service delivery is fundamentally human-specialist-led.

Name

Maryland Poison Center

Legal name

University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Website

https://mdpoison.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Maryland Poison Center is a publicly funded 24/7 telephone poison control service operated by the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, serving all of Maryland and the District of Columbia with AAPCC-certified clinical toxicology specialists handling approximately 56,000 cases per year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Poison Control and Clinical Toxicology Services

NAICS

Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers (561422), Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety & Medical Contact Centers (AE Intake/Call Centers) (HLAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical Information Services (MI Contact Centers) (HLAGALAE)

Keywords

• Poison control services
• Toxicology consultation
• Emergency poison hotline
• Overdose response
• Public health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Health Service Funding: Government-funded public health service. Funding comes from Maryland Department of Health, DC Health, and federal sources through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The center has faced budget cuts, with federal funding decreasing by 36% since 2011 (currently $18.8 million total for national poison center program).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Maryland Poison Center operates a 24/7 free telephone poison hotline (1-800-222-1222) providing immediate, confidential toxicology triage and treatment advice to the public and healthcare professionals, staffed by pharmacists and nurses certified as Specialists in Poison Information by the American Association of Poison Control Centers. It complements this hotline service with public poison prevention education, professional training for EMS and clinical staff, antidote recommendation publications, and the PoisonHelp.org digital companion tool, managing approximately 56,000 cases annually across Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Product overview

The Maryland Poison Center offers a single unified poison control service centered on its 24/7 telephone hotline (1-800-222-1222), staffed by pharmacists and nurses certified as Specialists in Poison Information. The service is complemented by public education resources including the Poison Prevention Press newsletter (published bimonthly for general audiences) and the ToxTidbits newsletter (published monthly for healthcare professionals), along with the eAntidote blog and free Mr. Yuk safety packets. A digital companion tool, PoisonHelp.org, extends access to poison information online. The center also provides professional education services including classes, on-site training, and a clinical toxicology fellowship. Antidote recommendation publications guide hospital stocking decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maryland Poison Center 24/7 Hotline 24-hour telephone service (1-800-222-1222) staffed by pharmacists and nurses nationally certified as Specialists in Poison Information, providing free, fast, and confidential expert advice about poisonings and overdoses for any Maryland or DC resident; manages approximately 56,000 cases per year.
• PoisonHelp.org Digital Companion Online resource providing valuable information on poisons, symptoms, and treatments, accessible 24/7 to complement the center's phone services.
• Public Education Programs Free educational programs for children and adults, including school teaching, health fair exhibits, and public education presentations on poison prevention and safety.
• Professional Education for Healthcare Providers Classes, in-services, publications, and on-site training for health professionals on managing toxicology situations and poisoning cases.
• Clinical Toxicology Fellowship Fellowship program for healthcare professionals seeking specialized training in clinical toxicology, hosted at the Maryland Poison Center within the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
• Antidote Recommendations Published antidote recommendations for overdoses and poisonings, including guidance for stocking antidotes in hospitals, distributed to healthcare professionals.
• Mr. Yuk Poison Safety Packet Free packet for Maryland and DC residents containing poison safety information, Mr. Yuk stickers, telephone stickers, and a magnet, available upon request.
• Poison Prevention Press Bimonthly e-newsletter (six issues per year) educating the public about poisons and how to prevent poisonings in the home, school, and workplace.
• ToxTidbits Monthly e-newsletter for healthcare professionals presenting timely toxicology-related topics, including clinical updates and antidote recommendations for hospital stocking.
• eAntidote Blog Blog providing behind-the-scenes look at life at a poison center, practical tips to keep families safe, and analysis of current poison news and trends.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65%+ of poisoning cases managed safely at home without emergency room visit
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maryland Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Maryland Department of Health is supporting UMSOP's expansion of Maryland Poison Center services to every jurisdiction in Maryland. The department's deputy secretary for public health services emphasized that expanded coverage will give Marylanders closer proximity to poison control education and help eliminate gaps in state, local, and regional incident response preparedness.
• DC HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025DC Health is partnering with the Maryland Poison Center for expanded coverage to the District of Columbia. The director of DC Health emphasized commitment to ensuring all residents have access to life-saving resources and expert guidance when faced with a poisoning emergency.
• Safe Kids BaltimoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe Kids Baltimore partnered with MPC to celebrate National Poison Prevention Week by offering poison prevention kits to Baltimore City Schools.
• Safe Kids Frederick CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe Kids Frederick County partnered with MPC to host a poster contest with select after-school programs during National Poison Prevention Week.
• American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAPCC supports the nation's 57 poison centers and certifies the Maryland Poison Center as a regional poison center. The partnership includes data collection, national standards, and advocacy for poison center funding.
• Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) - Overdose Response ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPC partners with the state's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to track naloxone administration data in near real-time for surveillance and public health purposes as part of the state's Overdose Response Program.
• Maryland Office of the Chief Medical ExaminercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for research on overdose deaths. MPC Medical Director Suzanne Doyon and Chief Medical Examiner David Fowler conducted joint research on exposure fatalities.
• Up and Away Campaign - Share Your Place ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPC partnered with the Up and Away campaign for a pilot social media photo sharing program encouraging families to practice safe medicine storage. Program used hashtag #MedsUpAway.
• University of Maryland School of PharmacycoreOthersThe Maryland Poison Center is part of the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore. This is the parent academic institution.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for DEA National Drug Take-Back Days. Student pharmacists collaborate with University police and MPC to collect expired or unused medications for safe disposal.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC): National membership and certification body for all 57 U.S. poison centers, including Maryland Poison Center. Sets operational standards, certifies Specialists in Poison Information, coordinates national data collection and federal funding advocacy — the ecosystem parent rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Upstate New York Poison Center: AAPCC-certified regional poison center serving upstate New York from Upstate Medical University. Closely matches Maryland Poison Center's model of a regional hotline embedded in an academic medical institution with public-education and professional-training functions.
• Pittsburgh Poison Center (UPMC): AAPCC-certified regional poison center operating from UPMC/Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Directly comparable 24/7 telephone-based poison information service with specialist staffing; also the originator of the Mr. Yuk brand identity used by Maryland Poison Center.
• Illinois Poison Center: AAPCC-certified regional poison center providing statewide 24/7 poison information services from Illinois. Operates the same hotline + public education + professional training model as Maryland Poison Center with comparable call volumes and case mix.
• Florida Poison Information Center Network: Statewide network of AAPCC-certified poison information centers covering Florida. Operates the same 24/7 hotline + public education model as Maryland Poison Center, with multiple regional sites serving a large, demographically diverse population.
• Cincinnati Children's Drug and Poison Information Center: AAPCC-certified regional poison center operated by Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Comparable 24/7 specialist-staffed poison hotline with pediatric and adult coverage and a strong clinical toxicology research base, similar to Maryland Poison Center's academic-medical integration.
• Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety: AAPCC-certified poison center affiliated with Denver Health, providing 24/7 poison exposure and drug information services. Operates a comparable hotline model with extended scope into drug safety and public-health surveillance, similar to Maryland Poison Center's overdose response work.
• National Capital Poison Center: AAPCC-certified regional poison center serving the Washington DC metro area. Most directly comparable to Maryland Poison Center — same service model (24/7 hotline + public education), same regulatory certification, and historically overlapping service territory until Maryland Poison Center's April 2025 expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDPoisonCtr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@marylandpoisoncenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarylandPoisonCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdpoisoncenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-poison-center

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Poison Center