(a) The authority shall establish minimum standards for the operation of poison control centers.
(b) The authority shall establish geographical service areas and criteria for designation of regional poison control centers. The authority may designate poison control centers which have met the standards established pursuant to subdivision (a), in accordance with the criteria adopted pursuant to this subdivision.
(c) No person or persons, business, agency, organization, or other entity, whether public or private, shall hold itself out as providing a poison advice service or use the term poison control center, poison advice center, or any other term which implies that it is qualified to provide advice on the treatment or handling of poisons in its advertising, name, or in printed materials and information it furnishes to the general public unless that entity meets one of the following conditions:
(1) Has been designated as a poison control center by the authority.
(2) Is a company or organization which provides a poison information service for products or chemicals which it manufactures or distributes.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a qualified health care professional, within his or her level of professional expertise, from providing advice regarding poisoning or poisons to his or her patient or patients upon request or whenever he or she deems it warranted in the exercise of his or her professional judgment, as otherwise permitted by law.
(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 972, Sec. 2.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018