In a national, state, or local emergency, rapid access to pharmaceuticals and other critical supplies is necessary to ensure that the injured or ill people are treated swiftly and effectively.

The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program is a cache of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and medical supplies managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made available to assist states in their response to a biological or chemical emergency or major trauma incident.

NWCPHP's Role

As part of its technical assistance and training on pharmaceutical stockpiles and mass dispensing, NWCPHP has developed and offers a variety of instructional materials on the Strategic National Stockpile and related pharmaceutical preparedness areas.

Community Trainings

Target audience: community health professionals, including public health workers and health care providers

• Applying Principles of Planning to Mass Dispensing (Stergachis and Dyal)
  Archived presentation from a Northwest Center Hot Topics in Preparedness forum on July 27, 2004.
• Strategic National Stockpile and Mass Dispensing (Stergachis and Owens)
  Presentations and handouts from the Northwest Center 2004 Summer Institute. Available on request from Andy Stergachis.

University Courses

Target audience: in-residence health science students

• Emergency Preparedness Bioterrorism Awareness for Health Professionals (UCONJ 445)
• Emergency and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response for Health Professionals (UCONJ 446)
• Graduate Certificate Program in Emergency Preparedness and Response
  

These courses and the certificate program are part of the Emergency Preparedness and Bioterrorism Awareness Curriculum Development Program.

Training and Consultation to State and Local Health Departments

• Development of local Strategic National Stockpile plans
• Training and tabletop exercise related to local and state Strategic National Stockpile plans

Research/Publications

• Beaton, R., et al. (2003) Evaluation of the Washington State National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Dispensing Exercise Part I - Patient Volunteer Findings. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 9, 368-376.
• Evaluation of the Washington State National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Dispensing Exercise Part II - Dispensary Site Worker Findings
• Preparedness Collaboration: The University of Washington, Public Health - Seattle & King County and Washington State Department of Health
• The Pharmacist's Role In an Age of Bioterrorism and Other Emerging Public Health Threats

Links to Other Resources

• Strategic National Stockpile from CDC
• Strategic National Stockpile from NACCHO

For more information, contact Andy Stergachis, Ph.D., R.Ph., Professor of Epidemiology and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, University of Washington, 206-616-9460.