The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #72416

Howard J. Eng, RPh, DrPH, Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Southwest Border Rural Health Research Center, Rural Health Office, 2501 E. Elm Street, Tucson, AZ 85716, (520) 626-7946, aeng@ahsc.arizona.edu and Theodore G. Tong, RPh, PharmD, Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, College of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 210207, Tucson, AZ 85721.

The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy and Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center working in partnership with the Pima County Health Department, the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), Tucson Fire Department (TFD), and several local and state agencies developed and implemented a mass medication dispensing bioterrorism (MMDB) exercise in Pima County. The preparation needed to dispense the large quantities of medications required to treat the acute conditions caused by biological and chemical agents released in a terrorist attack was the challenge that a Pharmacy Task Force had undertaken. The Task Force comprised a cross section of pharmacy professionals in public and private organizations across Southern Arizona. The MMDB exercise was conducted on November 22, 2002. The exercise included a simulated bioterrorism event, the arrival of a portion of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile, and a mass dispensing clinic involving College of Pharmacy faculty, students, and staff as well as pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from across Arizona. This presentation will examine the lessons learned from the preparation and implementation of the exercise. These include pulling together the community resources in responding to a bioterrorism event; applying the county health department mass immunization strategy as the model for the mass medication dispensing strategy; and training of pharmacist and pharmacy technicians in response to a biological agent released in a terrorist attack.

Learning Objectives:

• The audience will gain insight into how to dispense the large quantities of medications required to treat the acute conditions caused by biological and chemical agents released in a terrorist attack.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Pharmacists

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.