BIOTERRORISM WEBSITES FOR PHARMACISTSThe
threat of a biological terrorist attack has propelled many government and
healthcare organizations to prepare a response action plan. Since pharmacists
have a role in responding to a biological attack, pharmacists need access to
relevant bioterrorism information. Multiple websites provide bioterrorism
information, and a guide for their use can facilitate finding relevant
information in a timely manner. The purpose of this webpage is to provide a
brief list of healthcare-related websites that are essential to pharmacists by
addressing bioterrorism and identify those websites that contain the most easily
accessible, comprehensive, and pharmacy-specific information. This page will be
updated as additional resources become available. A brief description of key
information available at each website is presented below. Information presented
below is based upon a manuscript (Misita C, Boosinger A, Kendrach MG.
Bioterrorism websites for pharmacists. Ann Pharmacother 2003;37:132-35)
published in the journal Annals of
Pharmacotherapy.(http://www.theannals.com/) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
- Includes biological weapon information addressing: causative organism
(e.g., anthrax, smallpox, botulism, plague, tularemia, viral hemorrhagic
fevers), mode of transmission, incubation period, signs/symptoms, and
treatment.
- Presents the Emergency Preparedness and Response Inventory (EPRI), which
can be used to determine a geographic location's capacity to respond to an
attack.
- Provides links to state and local health department websites.
- Considered a primary website for bioterrorism information; a multitude of
other websites link to this site.
Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)
- Presents links to CDC web page, Department of Health and Human Services
web page, National Library of Medicine web page, and webpages of other
government organizations.
- Presents information regarding threats to the food supply and appropriate
preparedness steps.
American Society
of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
- Provides links to the CDC, the Metropolitan Medical Response System
(MMRS), the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS), and various public health
and professional organizations.
- Contains citations/links to journal articles and books pertaining to the
pharmacist's role in bioterrorism, background information on bioterrorism, and
bioterrorism agent-specific data.
- Contains an ASHP statement pertaining to the health-system pharmacists'
role in counterterrorism with advice concerning preliminary preparation for
hospital and health-system pharmacists.
American
Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) Information unique to this site includes:
- Discussion of the effects of US mail irradiation on medications shipped
through the postal service.
- Regulations outlining traveling with diabetes supplies (i.e., lancet,
needle) that may be used as a weapon.
- Statement addressing the promotion of consumer antibiotic stockpiling by
internet pharmacies.
- Online continuing education (CE) program addressing the following issues:
diseases from biological and chemical terrorism, patient counseling on the
subject, and treatment/decontamination strategies.
American Medical
Association (AMA)
- Includes a quick reference guide (in PDF format) for each bioterrorism
agent; presents the incubation period, clinical syndrome, lethality,
diagnostic tests, treatment, vaccine, and prophylaxis guidelines for the
bioterrorism agents.
- Includes multiple Consensus statements from JAMA concerning bioterrorism
agents.
Johns Hopkins
University Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies
- Presents unique bioterrorism issues not addressed by other sites.
Recommendations for locating bioterrorism information on the Internet
- Visit the CDC website first for the most current biological agent
information as well as contact numbers for health departments; a rationally
designed web page that is easy to navigate.
- For information addressing food safety, visit the FDA website.
- For additional agent-specific data, visit the AMA website.
- For pharmacy-specific information, access the ASHP website (advice to
prepare a hospital for responding to a bioterrorism attack) and APhA website
(sections regarding irradiation of mail and traveling with diabetes supplies).
Persons
Traveling with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
- Air travel with medications, diabetic supplies, etc.
Irradiation
of U.S. Mail
- Concerns with mailing medications and other products
Information on this page was prepared by: Caron Misita, Pharm.D.
Candidate Reviewed by: Andrea Boosinger, Pharm.D. and Mike Kendrach, Pharm
D.
Original: August 2002
Last update: Feb 4, 05
