New Government Program Aims to Protect Children From Accidental
Drug Overdoses A new government program aims to protect young
children from accidental drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the “Up and Away and Out
of Sight” program, to teach parents how to keep medications out
of the hands of young children. Each year in the United States,
one of every 150 two-year-olds ends up in the emergency room
because of an accidental medication overdose, according to
HealthDay. Most of these cases occur when unsupervised children
consume medications they find at home, the CDC says. “Parents
may not be aware of the danger posed by leaving medications
where young children can reach them. In recent years, the number
of accidental overdoses in young children has increased by 20
percent,” Dr. Dan Budnitz, Director of CDC’s Medication Safety
Program, said in a news release. The CDC noted that prescription
medicines are not the only danger—over-the-counter medications
and vitamins can