Halloween Poison Prevention Tips

Guest Bio: Alexander Garrard, Pharm.D.

Dr. Alexander Garrard received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Atlanta, Georgia. After working in the community, Dr. Garrard pursued a post-graduate two-year clinical toxicology/emergency medicine fellowship with the Florida/USVI Poison Information Center in Jacksonville, FL. Dr. Garrard achieved the status of Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (DABAT) in 2012.

Prior to this joining the Washington Poison Center Dr. Garrard, a board-certified clinical toxicologist, worked as a health scientist in the Division of Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) in the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this capacity, he served as an expert to state and local authorities, the CDC and other federal agencies, including FDA, DoD, and DHS, on various aspects of the SNS, Category A threat agents, chemical weapons and treatment guidelines.

Previously, he worked at the Upstate NY Poison Center where consulted on overdosed and poisoned patients for approximately 125 hospitals. He has extensive experience in community and media outreach for Upstate New York Poison Center. Garrard has been featured locally, regionally, nationally and internationally on breaking news stories including synthetic marijuana, bath salts, the rising issue of prescription drug abuse, accidental and intentional poisonings.