Welcome to the South Texas Poison Center at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.

March 17-23 is National Poison Prevention Week 2013: The South Texas Poison Center joins poison centers around the country in marking National Poison Prevention Week March 17-23 by providing information and presentations to schools and at health fairs in the region. Poisoning is now the leading cause of death from injuries in the United States. Since 1962, the President of the United States has proclaimed the third week of March as National Poison Prevention Week to raise awareness about the dangers of poisoning and how to prevent it. For more information and for a schedule of events, please click here to read the UT Health Science Center press release, or visit our Facebook page to read about up to date information on poisonings.

Click here to download the 2013 Poster Contest information packet!

In 2011, we sent our top twenty-six posters, including the top 4 winners that participated in our 2011 Regional Poison Prevention Week Poster Contest, to participate in the 2011 National Poster Contest in Washington, D.C. Out of all those posters, we had a winner!

Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Free and confidential services - 1-800-222-1222.

If you think someone has been poisoned, call the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Do not wait for the victim to look or feel sick. Do not try to treat the person yourself.

The South Texas Poison Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may access the service by calling the following number for TTY: 1-800-222-1222.

16-year-old suffers heart attack, dies after snorting drug: WOAI interviewed Miguel Fernández, MD, Director, South Texas Poison Center was interviewed regarding the death of one young man in Fredericksburg and the hospitalization of a second teenager after they snorted a crystal powder form of a mail-order drug. Dr. Fernández says that it's too easy to find synthetic or manufactured drugs like this online; it's not illegal and teens don't always exercise good judgement. He reminds the public that the poison center is always there to help, the call is free and is anonymous. Click here for complete story. (4-24-13)

K2 growing problem in San Antonio: According to the San Antonio Police Department, use of K2 or Spice (synthetic cannabinoids), often disguised as incense, tobacco, bath salts, or potpourri, are a growing problem around San Antonio. Miguel Fernández, MD, Director, South Texas Poison Center, says, "It's not 'marijuana', it's chemicals. Call them synthetic 'cannabinoids', they attach to the same parts of the brain (as marijuana), but people looking for euphoria aren't the ones being called in with irregular heart rates, halucinations or seizures." Click here for complete story.    (4-23-13)

Miguel Fernández, MD, Director, South Texas Poison Center, interviewed by New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung for National Poison Prevention Week: According to Dr. Fernandez, the South Texas Poison Center receives at least 200 calls a day for anything you could think of regarding 'poisonings', from relatively minor to extremely serious. The trained professionals in the poison control center field all types of calls, 24 hours a day. Click here for complete story.    (4-23-13)

Miguel Fernández, MD, Director, South Texas Poison Center, in KSAT-12 story on synthetic marijuana: There is a growing concern among San Antonio law enforcement and physicians about the use of synthetic marijuana, also known as 'spice'. "We've seen people have seizures and go completely comatose after smoking some of this stuff," said Dr. Miguel Fernández. Click here for complete story.    (4-2-13)

Miguel Fernández, MD, Director, South Texas Poison Center, interviewed on WOAI Radio regarding Texas poison centers closures: Slashed budgets in both the state and federal governments are targeting poison centers across Texas. In order to supplement, there has been talk of closing two of the six within the state. "It would have a tremendous impact on the quality of education in South Texas," Dr. Fernández said. "It's not just the service over the phone it's also the service of educating future health care practitioners." Click here to read article or listen to interview.    (4-2-13)

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