National Pharmaceutical Stockpile 

A decision to deploy the stockpile is based on the best epidemiologic, laboratory and public health information regarding the nature of the threat. 

·           The mission of CDC’s National Pharmaceutical Stockpile program (NPSP) is to ensure the availability of life saving pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, chemical interventions, as well as medical, surgical and patient support supplies, and equipment for prompt delivery to the site of a disaster, including a possible biological or chemical terrorist event anywhere in the United States. 

·           The NPSP is available to supplement the initial response to an incident of biological or chemical terrorism. That response will come from local and state emergency, medical and public health personnel.  

·           A primary purpose of the NPSP is to provide critical drugs and medical material that would otherwise be unavailable to local communities.  

·           CDC’s NPSP is a unique resource available to all United States public health departments. 

Contents of Stockpile  

·           CDC has established relationships with various national security agencies to facilitate continuous updates and analyses of threat agents and ensure that the NPSP reflects current needs.  

·           Expert panels convened by CDC prioritized the following biological agents: smallpox, anthrax, pneumonic plague, tularemia, botulinum toxin and viral hemorrhagic fevers.  

·           Because anthrax, plague and tularemia can be effectively treated with antibiotics that are immediately available, purchasing these products for the NPSP formulary was given first priority. 

·           The NPSP also has a cache of vaccine available to address smallpox threats. 

·           In addition to medications and supplies for intravenous administration, the NPS include medical equipment that would be essential for treatment, including airway supplies, bandages and dressings, and other emergency medications. These are items that local clinicians may find in short supply in the event of a terrorism incident.

 Components of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile  

·           The National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPSP) has two basic components. The first component consists of eight 12-hour Push Packages for immediate response. These 12-hour Push Packages are fully stocked, positioned in environmentally controlled and secured warehouses, and ready for immediate deployment to reach any affected area within 12 hours of the federal decision to release the assets. 

·           A 12-hour push package is a preassembled set of supplies, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment ready for quick delivery to and use in the field. Each “package” consists of 50 tons of material intended to address a mass casualty incident. These packages will permit emergency medical staff to treat a variety of different agents, since the actual threat may not have been identified at the time of the stockpile deployment. 

·           The second component is comprised of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) material. If the incident requires a larger or mulit-phased response, follow-on VMI Packages will be shipped to arrive within 24 to 36 hours. 

·           The follow-on VMI packages are comprised of pharmaceuticals and supplies that can be “tailored” to provide pharmaceuticals, supplies and/or products specific for the suspected or confirmed agent or combination of agents.