The Poison Lab

Clinical Toxicology LLC

Dive into the captivating world of poisons with The Poison Lab! Hosted by Clinical Toxicologist Ryan Feldman (@EMPoisonPharmD), who has over a decade of managing poisoning and drug overdose via poison centers and in the emergency department. Also occasional co-hosted by his robo cohost Toxo! (@LabPoison). This show unpacks the fascinating history, cutting-edge science, and life-saving medical management of toxins from around the globe. From stories of those impacted to expert insights from pioneers in poisoning treatment, each episode brings you closer to understanding the poisons that lurk in plain sight. Explore episodes, med videos, games, and more at thepoisonlab.com—every poison has a story to tell!

  1. A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Calling in The CDC

    Jun 3 ·  Bonus

    A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Calling in The CDC

    In this bonus episode, we go deeper into the public health machinery behind a mass poisoning investigation. Dr. Michael Yeh, a medical toxicologist at the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, explains how the CDC gets pulled into unusual outbreaks, how poison centers and health departments help spot early signals, and what happens once a local cluster starts looking like something bigger. We also explore several real-world investigations, from lead-contaminated applesauce to synthetic cannabinoid poisonings to Diamond Shruumz chocolate products, and ask a practical question: when something strange is happening, who do you call? This is a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, people, and detective work that help identify poisoning outbreaks before they spread. A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    21 min
  2. A Morel Dilemma: Episode 3 — Testing the Evidence

    Jun 3

    A Morel Dilemma: Episode 3 — Testing the Evidence

    With the restaurant closed and the first interviews underway, investigators bring in the CDC and FDA to help answer the question at the center of the outbreak: what actually made people sick? The leading suspect is still the morel mushroom, but proving that is not simple. The symptoms could fit bacterial food poisoning, spoiled fish, a chemical contaminant, a mislabeled spice, or even a toxic mushroom mixed in by mistake. So the team starts testing everything they can: patient samples, food samples, bacteria, pesticides, heavy metals, classic mushroom toxins, and more. In Episode 3 of A Morel Dilemma, we go inside the science of a poisoning investigation and ask what happens when every obvious test comes back negative. Because when there is no toxin to find, the mystery does not end. It gets harder. A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    33 min
  3. A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Muscarine Poisoning

    Jun 3 ·  Bonus

    A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Muscarine Poisoning

    This bonus episode takes a deeper look at the muscarine poisoning case discussed by Dr. Matthew Stanton. We break down how muscarine causes toxicity, why its symptoms can become life-threatening, and why its important for foragers to recognize so they can be treated. Select References: Dr. Stanton's case reportWisconsin Muscarine Case Series (Not yet available) A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    10 min
  4. A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Who Treats Mushroom Poisoning

    Jun 3 ·  Bonus

    A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Who Treats Mushroom Poisoning

    Who actually treats mushroom poisoning? In this short mini episode, we answer a surprisingly important question: when someone gets sick after eating a mushroom, who do they call, and who helps the doctors figure out what to do next? We break down the role of poison centers, medical toxicologists, emergency clinicians, and why the most important number to remember is 1-800-222-1222. A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    4 min
  5. A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Remembering poisonous mushrooms (GOTTA PICCEM)

    Jun 3 ·  Bonus

    A Morel Dilemma: Bonus — Remembering poisonous mushrooms (GOTTA PICCEM)

    In this bonus episode, Dr. Rob Bassett from Philadelphia Poison Control walks us through one of the most useful teaching tools in mushroom toxicology: GOTTA PICCEM. This mnemonic organizes toxic mushrooms by their clinical syndromes and, most importantly, by the timing of symptom onset. That timing can be one of the biggest clues toxicologists use to decide whether a mushroom exposure is likely to be mild, dangerous, or potentially life-threatening. Dr. Bassett is a gifted educator, and in this episode he breaks down the major mushroom toxins in a way that is practical, memorable, and useful for anyone who might someday need to recognize a serious mushroom poisoning. Select Resources: Richard Hamilton's Original Mnemonic A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    20 min
  6. A Morel Dilemma: Episode 2 — Investigations and Falsehoods

    Jun 3

    A Morel Dilemma: Episode 2 — Investigations and Falsehoods

    As reports of severe illness and death come in, the Bozeman outbreak moves from medical mystery to full public health investigation. Local and state investigators race to identify the source, shut down the risk, interview patients, collect food samples, and figure out whether anyone else could still be in danger. The early signal points toward one unlikely ingredient: morel mushrooms. But for toxicologists, that raises more questions than answers. Morels are supposed to be edible. Rapid vomiting and diarrhea usually suggest foodborne illness, not a deadly mushroom poisoning. So investigators have to ask the question that will drive the rest of the series: is the morel really the culprit, or is something else hiding in the meal? In Episode 2 of A Morel Dilemma, we meet the public health team on the front lines, hear how the outbreak was contained, and begin testing the first theories behind what made diners so sick. Select references: False Morel Text BookFDA Survey of Imported Mushrooms Contamination with Toxic SpeciesDr. Vohra' studyBonus Episode on Remembering Toxic MushroomsDr. Stanton's Muscarine CaseBonus Episode on Muscarine A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    44 min
  7. A Morel Dilemma: Episode 1 — Outbreak in Bozeman

    Jun 3

    A Morel Dilemma: Episode 1 — Outbreak in Bozeman

    A deadly outbreak begins with a single meal at a sushi restaurant in Bozeman, Montana. Within hours, diners develop severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some collapse. Two people die. At first, it looks like food poisoning, but investigators quickly notice one strange ingredient connecting many of the sick patients: morel mushrooms. In the first episode of A Morel Dilemma, we meet the people caught in the earliest moments of the outbreak and begin following the investigation as it unfolds in real time. What starts as a suspected restaurant-associated illness quickly becomes a much stranger question: how could a prized edible mushroom, eaten for centuries, suddenly be linked to death? This is not a retrospective summary. It is the beginning of a poisoning mystery, told the way investigators experienced it: with urgency, uncertainty, and more questions than answers. Select references CDC Report on Bozeman Morel Mushroom OutbreakRat Poison Contaminated synthetic cannabisE cigarette and vaping assosciated lung injuryEnoki-Listeria outbreakAconite outbreak in Canada mentioned in the introductionArsenic Coffee Pot Poisoning in MaineLeongatha Mushroom Murders A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    34 min
  8. Introducing: A Morel Dilemma

    Season 2 Trailer

    Introducing: A Morel Dilemma

    Available June 3rd- A deadly outbreak begins at a sushi restaurant in Bozeman, Montana. Diners develop rapid, severe gastrointestinal illness. Some collapse. Two people die. And the only clue pointing investigators toward a cause is also the hardest one to believe: morel mushrooms. A Morel Dilemma is a serialized outbreak investigation from The Poison Lab, following the story in real time as clinicians, toxicologists, public health officials, mycologists, and families try to answer one unsettling question: How could a prized edible mushroom suddenly be linked to death? This is a story about poisoning, public health, uncertainty, and the uncomfortable process of discovering that something we thought we understood may be far more complicated than it seemed. A Morel DilemmaSupport the showReview the show where ever your listening Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!) Join as a supporting member Ad free episodesBonus content and early accessDiscounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game! The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book! Full book reading (6 minutes!) Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!) Reach the showEmail: Toxtalk1@gmail.com More Show Resources Ryan's Medical Games and ResourcesShow Website

    4 min
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Trailers

5
out of 5
99 Ratings

About

Dive into the captivating world of poisons with The Poison Lab! Hosted by Clinical Toxicologist Ryan Feldman (@EMPoisonPharmD), who has over a decade of managing poisoning and drug overdose via poison centers and in the emergency department. Also occasional co-hosted by his robo cohost Toxo! (@LabPoison). This show unpacks the fascinating history, cutting-edge science, and life-saving medical management of toxins from around the globe. From stories of those impacted to expert insights from pioneers in poisoning treatment, each episode brings you closer to understanding the poisons that lurk in plain sight. Explore episodes, med videos, games, and more at thepoisonlab.com—every poison has a story to tell!

Information

  • Creator
    Clinical Toxicology LLC
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © thepoisonlab
  • Show Website
    The Poison Lab
  • Provider
    Ryan Feldman

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