Stockpiling of medical countermeasures for pandemic influenza: considerations brief
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World Health Organization
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viii, 40 p.
Pandemic influenza poses recurrent and potentially severe threats to public health, requiring timely and equitable access to medical countermeasures to mitigate health, societal and economic impacts. This considerations brief presents a risk-informed framework developed by the World Health Organization to support countries in assessing the need for, and designing, stockpiling strategies for medical countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and essential supplies, drawing on evidence review and structured risk analysis. The document examines key decision-making dimensions, including hazard likelihood and severity, system vulnerabilities and national capacities, to guide context-specific assessments of whether stockpiling is appropriate or if alternative access mechanisms may be more suitable. It outlines potential goals and objectives of stockpiles and describes planning considerations for their establishment and management, such as stockpile composition, forecasting, procurement, supply chain arrangements, governance, human resources and regulatory frameworks. Different stockpiling models, including physical, virtual and hybrid approaches, are analysed in terms of operational and financial implications. The framework is designed to be iterative, emphasizing periodic reassessment and adaptation to evolving epidemiological patterns, technological developments and resource conditions. Intended for policy-makers and technical stakeholders, the brief supports structured, evidence-informed decisions to strengthen pandemic preparedness, optimize resource use and enhance resilience in access to critical medical countermeasures.
Pandemic influenza poses recurrent and potentially severe threats to public health, requiring timely and equitable access to medical countermeasures to mitigate health, societal and economic impacts. This considerations brief presents a risk-informed framework developed by the World Health Organization to support countries in assessing the need for, and designing, stockpiling strategies for medical countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and essential supplies, drawing on evidence review and structured risk analysis. The document examines key decision-making dimensions, including hazard likelihood and severity, system vulnerabilities and national capacities, to guide context-specific assessments of whether stockpiling is appropriate or if alternative access mechanisms may be more suitable. It outlines potential goals and objectives of stockpiles and describes planning considerations for their establishment and management, such as stockpile composition, forecasting, procurement, supply chain arrangements, governance, human resources and regulatory frameworks. Different stockpiling models, including physical, virtual and hybrid approaches, are analysed in terms of operational and financial implications. The framework is designed to be iterative, emphasizing periodic reassessment and adaptation to evolving epidemiological patterns, technological developments and resource conditions. Intended for policy-makers and technical stakeholders, the brief supports structured, evidence-informed decisions to strengthen pandemic preparedness, optimize resource use and enhance resilience in access to critical medical countermeasures.
Keywords
Influenza, Human, Pandemics, Emergencies, Disaster Planning, Medical Countermeasures, Strategic Stockpile, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Equipment and Supplies, Drug Storage, Antiviral Agents, Vaccines, Influenza Vaccines, Diagnostic Tests, Routine, Personal Protective Equipment, Decision Making, Risk Assessment, Risk Factors, Health Policy, Government Regulation, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Program Evaluation, Health Workforce, Purchasing, Hospital, prevention and control, supply and distribution, therapeutic use