§597a Medical countermeasures

Summary

The Secretary must set up a medical countermeasures program in the Department if money is available. The program must protect Department employees and working animals and help the Department keep working during a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosives event, a disease outbreak, a pandemic, or other health emergency. The Chief Medical Officer will run the program, make rules for storage, security, dispensing, and recordkeeping, keep a stockpile of medicines and countermeasures (like antibiotics, antivirals, antidotes, therapeutics, and radiological items), arrange partnerships so vendors can preposition supplies where needed, oversee rapid deployment and dispensing, train employees, and run practice exercises. The Chief Medical Officer must also start a working group with other Department offices to keep rules consistent. Within 120 days after funds are provided to start the program, the Chief Medical Officer must give the Secretary an integrated logistics plan that explains how to pick types and amounts of countermeasures, how often to review that choice, how to replenish stock, and how to track and report inventory. All related program resources had to move to the Chief Medical Officer within 120 days after December 27, 2021, and the Secretary must brief two Congressional committees within 180 days after December 27, 2021. The plan must use a risk-based method and may use CBRN risk assessments and guidance from ASPR and CDC. Medical countermeasures — antibiotics, antivirals, antidotes, therapeutics, radiological countermeasures, and similar items to protect employees and working animals in those events.