CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : IRVINE : Poison-Control Hot Line to Close

In a move that health officials fear will strain already overburdened emergency medical services and lead to potentially fatal delays, UC Irvine Medical Center announced that its poison-control hot line will close in 30 days. “This is very bad news,” said Dr. Philip Edelman, medical director of the Regional Poison Control Center, which receives about 51,000 calls a year from Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono counties. “There will be thousands of people who will call the poison center and not get an answer. Many physicians will be at a loss as to where to get information. It will be very serious and, potentially, very devastating.” Medical Center officials said the center costs $800,000 per year to run, only $300,000 of which comes from the state.