U.S. medical stockpile wasn't built to handle current crisis, former director says

The Strategic National Stockpile, a once little-known resource, has turned into a political tug-of-war as states scramble for gowns, masks, ventilators and other equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

But it was never intended to be able to meet massive, simultaneous demand from 50 states, its former director said.

“The Strategic National Stockpile is great as a fallback" that can be tapped after private sector supplies and state and local government supplies are exhausted, said Greg Burel, who is now president and principal consultant at Hamilton Grace, a consulting firm focused on preparedness and response.

“From what I've been seeing, and you've probably seen the same thing, it seems like almost from day one, everybody's turned and looked at the SNS," Burel said in an interview with POLITICO.

President Donald Trump has blamed the Obama administration for not refilling the reserve. "The previous administration, the shelves were empty. The shelves were empty," Trump said last week.

However, the stockpile has also been underfunded for years, including during the Trump administration. The latest congressional appropriations enacted in November allotted about $700 million.