Which is a medical countermeasure (mcm)?
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Medical Countermeasures (or MCM) is one of DMTC’s newest programs and builds on extensive research and preparatory work undertaken by government, industry and research agencies. Utilising funding from CSIRO and from DST Group through its Next Generation Technologies Fund, DMTC’s leadership of the program involves harnessing Australia’s capabilities to develop leading-edge, advanced technologies and to direct and deploy skills into activities that support Australian defence, health and national security outcomes. Medical Countermeasures (MCMs) include vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for the protection of military and civilian personnel against Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) threats, emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. The MCM Program has continued to deliver successful industry-research collaborations that enhance Australia’s defence and national security capabilities. Over the past five years, the program has progressed more than 20 collaborative vaccine, therapeutic and diagnostic projects against a range of Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) and infectious disease threats. The MCM program has benefited from strong engagement with its Stakeholder Group, a senior whole-of-government advisory group with representatives from the Department of Defence; Department of Health; Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources; the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and most recently the Department of Home Affairs. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Stakeholder Group has had an even more significant role in directing and prioritising our collective response to the pandemic. The program currently has ten active projects comprising two therapeutics, two vaccine candidates, four rapid diagnostics, and two manufacturing scale-up projects. This diversity in our project portfolio enables the program to contribute to addressing military and public health capability gaps and contribute to developing Australia’s sovereign resilience. The program is seeking to bring together best-practice industrial expertise and relevant public sector and research agency inputs under DMTC’s proven model of collaboration and co-investment from all partners. How to get involved The annual program development cycle with its key timeframes is illustrated here. Further information can be sought by contacting DMTC on (03) 8840 5200 or by email to . Achievements to date Project submissions have been received from all over the country, collectively representing interest from over 150 prospective industry and research partner organisations. The MCM program is firmly focused on advancing technologies relevant to Australia’s national preparedness strategy, with application to both civil and military domains, in order to develop an effective in-country capability in Medical Countermeasures. It is the only program that brings together the key national stakeholders with representation from the federal Departments of Defence; Health; Home Affairs; CSIRO; Australian Federal Police; the Medical Technology and Pharmaceutical Growth Centre (MTP Connect); and the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. Further detail on the national and international elements of the engagement and governance framework for the MCM Program is available here. National Healthcare Disaster Exam Sample QuestionsThe following sample questions are similar to those on the examination but do not represent the full range of content or levels of difficulty. The answers to the sample questions are provided after the last question. Please note: Taking these or any sample question(s) is not a requirement to sit for an actual certification examination. Completion of these or any other sample question(s) does not imply eligibility for certification or successful performance on any certification examination. To respond to the sample questions, first enter your first and last names in the boxes below (this information will not be recorded; it is strictly for purposes of identifying your results). Then click the button corresponding to the best answer for each question. When you are finished, click the "Evaluate" button at the bottom of the page. A new browser window will open, displaying your results, which you may print, if you wish. This practice exam is not timed, and you may take it as many times as you wish. Good luck! Am J Public Health. 2018 September; 108(Suppl 3): S172. Medical countermeasures (MCMs) are critical for minimizing morbidity and mortality in the event of a large-scale public health emergency. MCMs involve a broad spectrum of medical assets, including biological products and personal protective equipment. Whether the emergency results from a chemical, biological, radiological, or natural disaster or from widespread infectious disease and contagions, a well-prepared public health community will readily access and deploy lifesaving MCMs. Ensuring appropriate distribution and dispensing of MCMs can be logistically complex, but coordinated planning between local, state, and federal agencies facilitates an efficient public health response. The federal government can deliver MCM assets to a state-designated site, if requested by state and territorial partners, within 12 hours through the Strategic National Stockpile. The Strategic National Stockpile is a cache of pharmaceuticals and ancillary medical supplies that the federal government maintains to protect the American public in the event that local supplies cannot meet the immediate needs of an emergency response. However, ensuring that these MCMs reach those who need them requires the execution of a complex and interrelated set of public health actions and tasks involving supply chain management and logistics for moving Strategic National Stockpile materiel to the point of use within a jurisdiction. Detailed distribution and dispensing, planning, drills, and exercises with state, local, and territorial health departments is critical, as no single approach is suitable for all circumstances, populations, or geographical regions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administers the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement to bolster national public health capacity to respond to a range of public health threats, including those that require MCMs. All 50 states, four large cities (Chicago, IL; Washington, DC; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY), eight territories, and freely associated states are required to be prepared for large-scale population delivery of MCMs for prevention, protection, and treatment during a pandemic (e.g., influenza) or an emergency resulting from intentional exposure to threat agents (e.g., Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax). The CDC collaboratively supports PHEP recipients by providing technical assistance and expertise throughout all stages of the planning, exercises, and training related to this important MCM mission. Public health is just one component of the overarching health care system needed to support a large-scale response. Integration of processes between public and private entities that contribute to the well-being of the population is therefore critical. Health care coalitions play a key role as well in supporting a large-scale public health emergency that requires MCMs distribution and dispensing. Health care coalitions are uniquely constituted to understand and meet the medical needs of the local communities—especially health care coalitions focused on supporting populations with particular needs, such as dependence on medical devices. Public health and health care coalitions must collaborate before and during a response to ensure that MCMs are successfully provided to minimize harm and maximize health for all affected individuals in the population. The articles in this issue of AJPH highlight best practices and innovation in the provision of MCMs for a large-scale public health emergency. Articles cover a range of MCM topics that include drills and exercises, mass vaccinations and pandemic considerations, and practical applications for points of dispensing and just-in-time training. We hope the supplement will promote discussion and continued focus on this critical aspect of securing the well-being of our nation’s public health. 1 Year AgoMass Dispensing of Medical Countermeasures Delays in MCM processing increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Continued planning to efficiently distribute and dispense life-saving medical assets and countermeasures to an affected community following a public health disaster is critical to decreasing that risk. . . . Despite challenges, effective and timely medical assets and countermeasure distribution and dispensing is possible with appropriate planning, staff, and resources. . . . Future evaluation of medical asset attainment should focus on operational implementation of established planning practices. From AJPH, Suppl 2, 2017, pp. S203–S206 11 Years AgoConceptualizing and Defining Public Health Emergency Preparedness [P]ublic health emergency preparedness (PHEP) is the capability of the public health and health care systems, communities, and individuals, to prevent, protect against, quickly respond to, and recover from health emergencies, particularly those whose scale, timing, or unpredictability threatens to overwhelm routine capabilities. . . . PHEP is not a steady state; it requires continuous improvement, including frequent testing of plans through drills and exercises and the formulation and execution of corrective action plans. . . . As much as possible, PHEP should be integrated with and expand upon day-to-day public health practices and build upon existing systems, not developed de novo. . . . Justice, accountability, transparency, and public engagement are essential in all aspects of PHEP. From AJPH, Suppl 1, 2007, pp. S9–S11 Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association Which is a medical countermeasure?Medical countermeasures (MCMs) are medicines and medical suplies that can be used to diagnose, prevent, or treat diseases related to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) threats. MCMs can include. Biologic products – vaccines, blood products, and antibodies. Drugs – antimicrobial or antiviral drugs.
What is medical pod?What is a Point of Dispensing, or POD? A POD is a location used to quickly give out medicine or vaccinations to the public after an emergency. POD locations do not however offer routine medical care.
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