Bioterrorism planning study focuses on traffic and public access to points of dispensing (PODs)

IEM scientists, led by Computational Epidemiologist Dr. Sid Baccam, published a paper in the June issue of the journal Biosecurity and Bioterrorism entitled “Mass Prophylaxis Dispensing Concerns: Traffic and Public Access to PODs.” Points of Dispensing, or PODs, are used by emergency responders to quickly dispense post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to the public following a bioterrorism event. Any failure in PEP dispensing could have serious public health consequences, which is why IEM has focused study efforts on issues related to POD access. The project described in the paper was partially funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a larger study on PEP dispensing logistics and medical consequences.

Below is a video interview with the lead author of the paper, Dr. Sid Baccam.

 

Why is this study important?  And how does population affect the outcome?

What types of organization would be involved and what type of facility should be considered for a POD?

To read the full paper, see http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/bsp.2010.0027. See more information on IEM’s capabilities and expertise in healthcare emergency preparedness.

 

Author: Dr. Sid Baccam, Senior Scientist – Computational Epidemiologist