What happens when there’s a public health emergency and there is a risk of local drug supplies running out? The U.S. government stockpiles large amounts of medicine as well as medical supplies in the case of emergency. It’s called the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). Congress authorized the creation of the SNS in 1999. It was previously called the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile.
What about the shelf life for pharmaceuticals? There is a federal shelf-life extension program that is managed by the Department of Defense and the FDA. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) conducts stability testing to determine whether products are safe and stable enough for continued use. If so, the expiration dates of pharmaceuticals can be used beyond their original expiration dates. Testing can provide an additional 12-24 months of extended shelf life, a much better alternative to discarding drugs that are still effective.
How did the COVID outbreak affect the federal government’s outlook on medical supplies and drugs? The government has had to seriously examine the availability of medical supplies needed for outbreaks such as COVID, and previously the Ebola virus. Well into the pandemic the SNS did not have enough medical supplies and resources to handle the pandemic. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has acknowledged that the SNS lacks readiness for outbreaks such as COVID.
In 2009, the H1N1 influenza pandemic triggered the largest deployment in SNS history. 12.5 million antiviral regimens were deployed across the country. After that, the SNS began to expand but there have been budget cuts and manufacturing issues, especially during COVID. The warehouses that hold drugs and supplies are secret despite their existence being well known.
A review of the effectiveness of emergency preparedness has been conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability office. It was determined that during recent public health responses, such as COVID-19 and mpox (a contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus), jurisdictions weren’t clear on how and from whom to request supplies, causing confusion and delays. There were challenges with having the facilities needed to receive and store delivered supplies. Public health emergency coordination has been found to be a high risk issue.
For more information visit:
https://aspr.hhs.gov/SNS/Pages/default.aspx