About the Connecticut Poison Control Center (CPCC)

The Connecticut Poison Control Center is located at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. It is staffed 24-hours a day, 365 days a year by the poison experts. Call for fast, free, accurate advice for poisonings.

Our History:

Since the Connecticut Poison Control Center (CPCC) was established under General Statute 10-a-132 in 1957, its operations and services have changed dramatically. It was first a department of Connecticut's Department of Health. Now an integral part of the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, affiliated with Hartford Hospital, it is the only poison control center in Connecticut certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

Our Mission:

The CPCC's mission is to provide statewide 24-hour emergency service for poison exposures, epidemiology of poisoning, and education for poison prevention. Connecticut Poison Control Center staff provide presentations and educational materials to the public through health fairs and other events. Printed materials for poison safety education are also available to the public on request.

Our Staff:

Medical Director: Marc J. Bayer, MD
Associate Director: Charles A. McKay, MD
Administrative Director: Bernard Sangalli, MS

CPCC Annual Report
(PDF)

In addition to our directors listed above, the Connecticut Poison Control Center is staffed by Poison Information Specialists with backgrounds in acute care and special training in the management of poisoning, board-certified Physician Toxicologists, and community education staff. The doctors, nurses, and pharmacists of the CPCC have over 95 years of combined toxicology experience. They can determine the severity of an exposure and whether the poisoning can be managed safely at home or if hospital treatment is needed.

Our Consulting Toxicologists:

The Connecticut Poison Control Center draws on New England's most extensive network of physician specialists in Toxicology. Board-certified toxicologists are made available for consultations to the region’s hospitals, improving medical outcomes and reducing the cost of care.

Marc J. Bayer, M.D.
Carl Baum, M.D.
Joao Delgado, M.D.
Danyal Ibrahim, M.D.
Kelly Johnson-Arbor, M.D.
Barbara Kirrane, M.D.
Charles A. McKay, M.D.
John McDonagh, M.D.
James O'Brien, Ph.D., M.D.
Alberto Perez, M.D.
Asim Tarabar, M.D.
Anthony Tomassoni, M.D.
Alan Weiner, M.D.
James Wiley, M.D.

Our Rotating Students:

The Center is also a training site for emergency medicine residents and numerous other health disciplines.

Our Toxicology Clinic:

The Connecticut Poison Control Center staff can provide referral to the Toxicology Clinic -- the only one of its kind in New England -- at the University of Connecticut Health Center (860-679-3540) for evaluation of exposures to:

Pesticides, solvents and toxic gases
Alcohol and drugs of abuse
Venomous creatures and poisonous plants
Drug interactions and chemical toxicities
Chemical exposures in the home, workplace and environment
Drugs and chemicals in women who are pregnant

In a poison emergency, call 1-800-222-1222.
Hearing impaired, call 1-866-218-5372.