PHILADELPHIA –
The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Medical supply chain is supporting the Navy’s continued battle-force deployment readiness through discussion-based exercises related to Navy Medicine expeditionary medical systems.
Medical’s Customer Pharmacy Operations Center pharmacists participated in initial table-top exercises hosted by the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in late spring on the use of EXMEDs for combatant commands globally.
Troop Support contributed to this effort as subject matter experts in controlled substance acquisition, as Medical supports EXMEDs acquisition from fielding customer requirements to sustainment.
“The mission Navy medicine set for this TTX was how to provide pharmaceuticals to combatant commands in theatres around the world through the use of EXMEDs,” said Sean Szad, a Medical Customer Pharmacy Operations Center pharmacist.
CPOC was able to speak to the integrity of these drugs under the variety of circumstances posed by EXMEDs.
“The team also addressed the implications the scalability of EXMEDs has on controlled substances pharmaceuticals in all global operations,” said Siung Kang, a CPOC pharmacist.
“The challenge is pharmaceutical integrity maintenance of controlled substances for EXMEDs in both rapid response and sustained operations globally,” Kang continued. “Adding the scalability of these EXMEDs, and their use in several settings, increases the variability we need to consider in the support we provide.”
Medical’s controlled substances support also considers the entire lifecycle of the pharmaceuticals meant for warfighter care in EXMEDs, Szad said.
“The working group discussed the challenges, constraints, and policy goals surrounding the acquisition, movement, storage, and eventual destruction of controlled substance pharmaceuticals in support of EXMEDs,” said he added.
CPOC pharmacists also serve in an official capacity for the Drug Enforcement Administration in controlled substances pharmaceuticals oversight. As a result, the team understands regulations applied across several circumstances.
“We serve as the DEA registrant for the fleet and outside of the Continental United States [Department of Defense] customers,” Szad said. “Serving in that capacity, we appreciate the opportunity to partner with the services on their solution sets, and to provide input and guidance where appropriate.”
As plans evolve, the pharmacists continue to contribute to TTX breakout discussions with stakeholders.
“We attend regular biweekly calls with this team and look forward to providing our continued support to the Navy,” Kang said. “We will engage as necessary to support the warfighter.”