Medical Toxicology Service

The Medical Toxicology Service at the University of Connecticut Health Center is the only one of its kind in all of New England. The service provides comprehensive treatment and referral for patients who have been exposed to toxic substances. Consultation to health professionals as well as public and private agencies is also available.

An integrated network of computerized databases linked to the Connecticut Poison Control Center, the Connecticut Pregnancy Exposure Information Service and Lyman Maynard Stowe Library accesses information on more than 1 million drugs and chemicals.

Specialized Care

Our service has New England’s most extensive network of physician specialists in Toxicology, Genetics, Laboratory Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care. Additionally, UConn Health Center’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine physicians are available for consultation and referral as needed.

Our board-certified toxicologists provide:

• Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of toxic exposures to drugs and chemicals;
• Outpatient and hospital treatment of adults and children who have been exposed to poisons such as lead, carbon monoxide, pesticides or other hazardous materials in the home, workplace or environment;
• Evaluation of Material Safety Data Sheets and product labeling on all chemical formulations; and
• Assessment of hazardous chemicals.

Consultations

We provide expert consultation to health professionals, public agencies, industry, insurance companies, health maintenance organizations and legal firms on matters involving drug toxicity and chemical hazards such as:

• Childhood poisonings
• Drug overdoses
• Chemicals, health, and the environment
• Pesticides, solvents, and toxic gases
• Alcohol and drugs of abuse
• Venomous creatures and poisonous plants
• Drug interactions and chemical toxicities
• Chemical exposures in the home, workplace, and environment
• Hazard risk assessment of chemical accidents
• Risks to pregnant patients from drugs and chemicals
• Surveillance and biological monitoring
• Laboratory analysis of drugs and toxic chemicals

Education

We provide educational programs for the public, health professionals, and industry on prevention and treatment of toxic exposures.

Our Director

Marc J. Bayer, M.D., Director of the Medical Toxicology Service is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He performed his internship at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a residency at Denver Health Medical Center. He is board-certified in Medical Toxicology and Emergency Medicine.