Poison centre warns call surge could delay urgent advice

Sweden’s poison-information centre warns that a surge in calls is lengthening queues and risks delaying advice in serious poisoning cases. It asks people with nonurgent questions to check its website first.

Giftinformationscentralen had answered 100,000 calls by mid-October, the Medical Products Agency said on Wednesday. Many calls from the public concern incidents with a low risk of serious poisoning.

The service remains open around the clock, but fewer staff answer phones in the evenings and at night. Its head, Jenny Bång Arhammar, says avoidable calls can make seriously affected patients wait longer.

For nonurgent questions, consult giftinformation.se. In an emergency, call 112 and ask for Giftinformation. The request to use the website first does not apply to emergencies.

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