Overview of 10 Years (1983–1992) of Poisoning Data

Abstract

In 1983, the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) established the AAPCC National Data Collection System which is now known as the AAPCC Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (AAPCC TESS). This voluntary system was developed to provide an organized and methodical way to facilitate the documentation of poison exposure cases, and consequentially to allow the tabulation and epidemiologic analysis of poisoning exposures. Prior to the development of this system, data was submitted on a voluntary basis by some poison centers to the US Food and Drug Administration National Clearinghouse for Poison Control Centers. Other poison information centers submitted data to the National Poison Center Network and some tabulated data for internal purposes only. Until 1983, the US was without a systematic approach to the collection and analysis of poison exposure data.