Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published an overview of national approaches to stockpiling of medical countermeasures for public health emergencies. This review was requested by the Department of Health to inform the development of a national stockpiling strategy in Ireland.

Stockpiling involves storing a large supply of items in case they are needed in the future. HIQA looked at stockpiling for public health emergencies in five countries: France, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway. ‘Public health emergencies’ are significant public health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where supplies of certain items such as medicines, vaccines, laboratory supplies or other healthcare equipment may be needed quickly.

HIQA’s review found that all five countries use physical stockpiles, where items are stored in a warehouse and can be sent to wherever they are needed quickly, in case of an emergency. To date the countries examined have considered this approach to be less costly and quicker to access than using a ‘virtual stockpile’. Virtual stockpiles are where companies store a certain amount of stock that the government can buy if needed in an emergency.

Dr Eimear Burke, Public Health Fellow in HIQA, said: “One of the challenges faced by the countries reviewed was waste due to unused stock. Some countries were managing this by rotating this stock. This means that when stock is close to expiration, the stock is either sold or given away to hospitals or charities, so that it is not wasted.”

The COVID-19 pandemic changed what some countries include in their stockpiles, with countries stockpiling items such as facemasks, gloves and ventilators since the pandemic. These countries are now deciding if they should keep doing this due to the high costs involved.

The information in this report will be used to help develop a stockpiling strategy for Ireland.

The full report can be found at www.hiqa.ie.

ENDS

Further information:

Zoe Forde, Communications Manager, HIQA, 085 802 1469, zforde@hiqa.ie

Notes to Editor:

• The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published the following document: 
  • An overview of national approaches to stockpiling of medical countermeasures for public health emergencies.