The Strategic National Stockpile: roles and responsibilities of health care professionals for receiving the stockpile assets.

In 1999, the US Congress created the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Program (NPS) under the management of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services. On March 1, 2003, the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile Program became known as the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program under the new Department of Homeland Security. The purpose of the SNS Program is to maintain a stockpile of pharmaceutical agents, vaccines, medical supplies, and equipment to augment state and local resources during a large-scale disaster or bioterrorism event. Upon request, the SNS Program will deliver materials anywhere in the United States within 12 or fewer hours. A brief overview of the SNS Program and the role of local and state health care providers for receiving the SNS assets are reviewed.