The Role of Pharmacies in Emergency Preparedness
Main Article Content
Abstract
Pharmacies' roles in public health emergency preparedness have grown in importance and scope. These roles include vaccinating populations against emerging infectious diseases, providing medications for the treatment of specific biological, radiological, and chemical events, and maintaining the nation's strategic stockpile of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. At a minimum, pharmacies are involved in ensuring that individuals receive their usual medical regimens in the event of a catastrophic emergency such as a natural disaster, mass evacuation, or prolonged shelter-in-place. At most, pharmacies are involved in extensive emergency preparedness and response activities, including improving systems to timely access or dispense federally supplied medicines and vaccines. In the fall of 2009, pandemic H1N1 influenza became a public health concern, and pharmacies were instrumental in providing vaccines. (Aruru et al.2021)