Priorities in Planning Pediatric Medical Device Countermeasures

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed major gaps in the design, manufacturing, planning, and procurement of medical countermeasures (MCMs). Of ongoing concern is the existing shortage of FDA-regulated device MCMs needed for children disaster medical response involving acute and chronic illness. Planning for and prioritizing manufacturing, stockpiling, and tracking pediatric MCMs availability are especially necessary given existing device deficits and differences in pediatric physiology and epidemiology. In this paper, we justify why a pediatric-specific lens is needed when planning and prioritizing medical device MCMs. We also analyze the current landscape of pediatric MCM devices across phases and levels of care in relation to adult products to include protective equipment, diagnostic platforms, monitoring tools, interventional devices, and life-sustaining technologies.