Public security

HHS Enhances Radiological, Nuclear Attack Preparedness With New Products To Treat Severe Burns

Disaster readiness could soon be making new treatment options available for routine burn care from mass casualty radiological or nuclear events, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HHS announced that four novel products to treat severe thermal burns will be developed and acquired under contracts with HHS's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

“The products are intended to enhance the available treatment options for disaster response and are being designed to find uses in routine clinical burn care,” HHS said.

HHS said the ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) “will leverage authority granted under the Project BioShield Act of 2004 to purchase one of the products currently available commercially and fund late-stage development and procurement of the other three. These products will be added to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) or managed by vendors to help protect people from burn injuries resulting from radiological and nuclear threats.”