Rx Response gives local, state and federal emergency management and public health agencies a single point of contact to connect with the entire bio-pharmaceutical supply chain and protect the normal flow of medicines.  The program also provides a number of awareness tools to respond to public health emergencies, including a situation report and information request feature, described in more detail below.

June 1st marked the first official day of the 2011 hurricane season. Experts are predicting an above normal season this year. In its 2011 hurricane season forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts as many as 18 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, with three to six becoming strong enough to be classified as major hurricanes. In anticipation of a very busy hurricane season – and with the intent of providing the maximum support possible - Rx Response wants to assist states in their efforts to prepare for the busy months ahead.

Rx Response is a no-cost information-sharing and problem-solving consortium for the private-sector bio-pharmaceutical supply chain, and our mission is to ensure that critical prescription medicines are available to patients in need during emergencies. Rx Response’s reputation as a valued resource has grown considerably over the last few years, and is now a well-established central and trusted information-sharing portal for the bio-pharmaceutical supply chain, disaster relief organizations, and relevant government agencies. Our collective resources are immense, and our services should prove beneficial to state emergency response efforts for states affected by hurricanes.

 

Rx Response's Value to State Emergency Management Partners - Assistance During Public Health Emergencies

Specifically, Rx Response offers the following valuable services to State Emergency Management partners:

Pharmacy Status Reporting During Emergencies

Rx Response and its partners publish known open pharmacies in disaster affected areas. This information can be used by State Emergency Management agencies and response personnel to direct citizens to known open pharmacies during an emergency, which will help enable continued access to essential medicines—for treatment of injury or illness caused by the event, as well as continued supply of essential day-to-day medicines to patients for the duration of the emergency.

Pharmacy Status Reporting Overview and Example Map

Pharmacy Status Reporting FAQs

Situation Reporting on Bio-Pharmaceutical Impacts During Public Health Emergencies

A basic situation report is updated on this page (see the box in the upper right side of the page) during a time of Rx Response activation following a public health emergency. As a more detailed and informative situation report is maintained within the private Rx Response information-sharing forum, State Emergency Management representatives may request access to the site by completing an access request form for InfoCenter.

Example Situation Report

State Emergency Management Agency Information Requests for the Bio-Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

State Emergency Management Agencies may submit information requests to Rx Response if they identify a need for information related to the bio-pharmaceutical supply chain that Rx Response might be able to answer.  An example information request can be found below.   State Emergency Management representatives interested in submitting an information request may request access to the InfoCenter by completing an access request form for InfoCenter.

Example Information Request

Rx Response Liaison to State Emergency Operations Centers (SEOCs) During Exercises and/or Emergencies

If State Emergency Operations Centers (SEOCs) make a request for an Rx Response representative at their Operations Center, this liaison will be better able to coordinate emergency response activities between the SEOC and Rx Response program, reaching out to all potential contacts/representatives at the EOC who may benefit from interacting with Rx Response (e.g. Public Health representative, Logistics representative, etc). This helps take the pressure off the states to communicate pertinent public health information out to all involved parties and enables these individuals to fully utilize Rx Response tools to address any barriers to patient access to critical medicines.  To request an Rx Response State liaison, send an email to alerts@rxresponse.org.