A release of selected biological or chemical agents targeting the United States civilian population will require rapid access to quantities of pharmaceuticals, antidotes, vaccines, and other medical supplies. In such an event, state, local, and private stocks of medical material will become depleted quickly. No one can anticipate exactly where a terrorist will strike, and few local governments have the resources to create sufficient stockpiles on their own. With this in mind, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Program (NPSP). The NPSP is responsible for the purchase, storage, and deployment of pharmaceuticals, supplies, and equipment that localities will need in a chemical or biological terrorist incident. The NPSP can help bolster state and local response capacity, and be one of the keys in mitigating the results of a bioterrorist incident. The broad role of the CDC is to ensure that Federal, State, and local levels of the public health partnership coordinate efforts and work with the medical and emergency response communities to prepare for acts of biological and chemical terrorism. Attendees at this session will have an understanding of the role and capability of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Program.

Editor’s Comment The following article was cleared for publication following peer review and upon the Editor-in-Chief’s decision. The manuscript is an addition to the global health literature. The manuscript reads uneven in the current English version, but the topic and concepts presented are of global interest and add to the disaster planning, response, and recovery knowledge base.