Stategic National Stockpile

• Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
• IOM Report: Prepositioning Antibiotics for Anthrax 09-2011
  Public health officials should determine where and how anthrax-preventing antibiotics should be stored in their communities to prepare for a possible large-scale anthrax attack, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Current plans for dispensing antibiotics rely heavily on post-attack delivery from state stockpiles or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Strategic National Stockpile. To complement these plans, the report recommends each jurisdiction assess the benefits and costs of strategies for storing antibiotics locally and determine which ones would be most appropriate for their communities. In areas where the risk of an attack is low or dispensing capability is sufficient, the authors say prepositioning may offer little additional value. The report discourages broad use of a home storage strategy for the general population due to possible antibiotic misuse and higher costs. According to the report, antibiotics are most effective at preventing anthrax if taken before symptoms occur, which is probably not for at least four days.
  

Chemical