Supervisors Ask Study on Poison Center Funding

Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday asked county budget and health officials to explore possible public and private funding to aid the financially strapped Regional Poison Control Center, run as a public service by the Los Angeles County Medical Assn.

The association said last week that without additional funds, the center will close by year's end. One of the busiest in the United States, the Los Angeles center operates a 24-hour hot line advising parents, doctors and emergency personnel on treatment for poisoning victims. It serves communities in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and is one of seven regional poison centers in California.

"Thousands of lives may have been saved by our poison control center over the decades," Supervisor Ed Edelman said. "It would be a great tragedy if this vital resource were no longer available due to a lack of funding."