title: Pharmacy preparedness for incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.
abstract: Recent worldwide terrorist acts and hoaxes have heightened awareness that incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) may occur in the United States. With federal funding assistance, local domestic preparedness programs have been initiated to train and equip emergency services and emergency department personnel in the management of large numbers of casualties exposed to nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) agents. Hospital pharmacies will be required to provide antidotes, antibiotics, antitoxins, and other pharmaceuticals in large amounts and have the capability for prompt procurement. Pharmacists should become knowledgeable in drug therapy of NBC threats with respect to nerve agents, cyanide, pulmonary irritants, radionucleotides, anthrax, botulism, and other possible WMD.
authors.affiliation: Illinois Poison Center, 222 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 1900, Chicago, IL 60606, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Burda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sigg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000931:Antidotes / Q000600:supply & distribution; D001694:Biological Warfare; D002618:Chemical Warfare; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D006801:Humans; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents