HHS expands provider list authorized to administer monkeypox treatment

Editor's Note

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on October 3 amended the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration for smallpox medical countermeasures to expand the categories of providers authorized to administer vaccines and therapeutics against smallpox, monkeypox, and other orthopoxviruses during the declared emergency, Healthcare Purchasing News (HPN) October 6 reports.

According to Dawn O’Connell, HHS assistant secretary for Preparedness and Response, demand for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed Bavarian Nordic's JYNNEOS vaccine is “exceeding…in all 50 states,” and expanding the list of providers authorized to administer treatment will only “increase equitable access for people at high risk” of infection. On July 1, HHS announced it had ordered an additional 2.5 million doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine in response to current and potential future monkeypox outbreaks, OR Manager reported.

According to HPN, the list of authorized providers now includes:

• advanced or intermediate emergency medical technicians
• dentists
• licensed or certified professional midwives
• nurses, advanced practice RNs, RNs, licensed practical nurses
• optometrists
• paramedics
• pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians
• physicians and physician assistants
• podiatrists
• respiratory therapists
• veterinarians
• recently retired healthcare professionals and students of the listed professions.

All authorized providers must administer all countermeasures in accordance with all requirements and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and consistent with FDA approval, authorization, and any applicable protocol, noted HPN.

For more information, access the full HHS announcement here.