About Us
The Up and Away Campaign
Families take medicines and vitamins to feel well or stay well. Any medicine or vitamin can be dangerous if taken in the wrong way or by the wrong person, even medicine you buy without a prescription (known as over-the-counter medicines). Up and Away and Out of Sight is an educational program to remind families about the importance of safe medicine storage. It is an initiative of PROTECT, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health In Hand and the below organizations.
PROTECT Initiative Resource Center
Continuing the Mission to Prevent Unintentional Medication Overdoses in Children
A Message About the Future of PROTECT
Medication overdoses remain a significant public health issue and are a leading cause of emergency department visits among young children. For more than 15 years, the PROTECT (PRevention of Overdoses and Treatment Errors in Children Taskforce) Initiative has united public health agencies, healthcare professionals, industry leaders, poison control experts, consumer advocates, and educators around a shared goal: keeping children safe from unintentional medication overdoses. The initiative was originally convened and led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As the CDC stepped down from its leadership role in 2025, Safe Kids Worldwide, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) and its Health In Hand Foundation proudly stepped forward as co-leads of the PROTECT Initiative. Together, we are committed to sustaining and expanding this important work to advance children’s medication safety.
PROTECT Work Groups
The PROTECT Initiative focuses on four core areas to reduce the risk of medication overdoses in children.
Packaging to Prevent Ingestions
Co-Chairs:
- Caitlin Ondracek, Sr. Director, Medical Science & Regulatory Affairs, Consumer Healthcare Products Association
- Mark Perkins, Co-Chief Executive Officer, BirdDog Marketing Group
Key efforts include:
- Encouraging the use of enhanced safety packaging, including flow restrictors and bottle adapters.
- Supporting research and testing of new packaging technologies.
- Advancing packaging designs that limit the amount of medicine a child can access during an unintended ingestion.
Standardization for Error Prevention
Co-Chairs:
- Shonna Yin, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health, NYU School of Medicine
- Gerry McEvoy, Metric Measures Adoption Task Group Lead, National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP)
Key efforts include:
- Promoting standardized use of milliliters (mL) on medication labels and dosing devices.
- Encouraging healthcare professionals and manufacturers to align prescribing, labeling, and dispensing practices.
- Supporting caregiver education on proper medication measurement and administration.
Improving Safe Use & Storage
Co-Chairs:
- Mary Leonard, Sr. Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs, CHPA, and Executive Director, Health in Hand Foundation
- Klaressa Broughton, Poison Prevention Program Coordinator, Center for Community Health, Cook Children’s Hospital
- Morag MacKay, Chief Research and Network Officer, Safe Kids Worldwide
Key efforts include:
- Raising awareness about keeping medicines and supplements out of children’s sight and reach.
- Educating parents, caregivers, grandparents, and other family members about safe medication practices.
- Promoting resources that help families respond quickly in an emergency.
Data to Support PROTECT
Co-Chairs:
- Jody Greene, Chief Scientific Officer, Uprise Health
- Kate Reynolds, Director of Research, Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety
- Traci Snedden, Associate Professor, College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Key efforts include:
- Track data related to pediatric medication overdoses, treatment errors, and emergency department visits.
- Identify emerging risks, changing patterns, and areas requiring additional attention.
- Monitor progress toward reducing preventable medication-related incidents among children.
Want to Get Involved?
To get involved with PROTECT, reach out to Morag MacKay or Mary Leonard.