title: Getting medicine to millions: New strategies for mass distribution.
abstract: This article examines the feasibility of allowing private industries such as grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and community immunizers to partner with public health authorities for the mass distribution of vaccines or antibiotics. Retail grocery and wholesale stores already have experience with annual influenza vaccination and may be a resource in a public health emergency, including a bioterrorist attack. This analysis suggests that retail store executives are willing to work with public health authorities to plan for and respond to public health emergencies.
authors.affiliation: Public Health-Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington, USA. Onora.Lien@metrokc.gov
authors.forename: Onora
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maldin
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Gigi Kwik
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Gronvall
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D023482:Bioterrorism; D003132:Commerce / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017149:Private Sector; D011634:Public Health; D014612:Vaccines / Q000600:supply & distribution*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014612:Vaccines