Taking Stock of the National Stockpile: Modernizing for a Dynamic Response

Taking Stock of the National Stockpile: Modernizing for a Dynamic Response

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Description

This commentary examines how the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and broader emergency medical supply systems in the United States performed during the COVID-19 pandemic and assesses what needs to be modernized for future large-scale health emergencies. The authors argue that longstanding reliance on a lean, “just-in-time” supply chain left limited surge capacity when global demand spiked in 2020, exposing vulnerabilities in pandemic preparedness. The article explores how SNS was originally conceived as surge support rather than comprehensive coverage, and how pandemic response efforts leveraged DoD assets and emergency procurement to fill gaps. The authors call for updating approaches to stockpiling, manufacturing, and biotechnology integration so that future responses are faster, more resilient, and better aligned with contemporary scientific and logistical capabilities.

Document Type

Article

Topic(s)

Global Health, National Security, Emerging Science and Technologies

Region(s)

United States

Publication Date

8-18-2021

Keywords

Strategic National Stockpile, pandemic response, COVID-19, emergency medical supplies, supply chain resilience, surge capacity, national preparedness, stockpile modernization, biotechnology integration, U.S. health security, public health logistics

Taking Stock of the National Stockpile: Modernizing for a Dynamic Response

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