In 2001, the US was paralysed by the fear that it would face an attack of a particular strain of anthrax that would be resistant to penicillin and other common antibiotics, but possibly treatable by ciprofloxacin, a more specialised antibiotic.

The recommended stockpiles for ciprofloxacin did not exist and the patent owner could not meet the demand for nearly two years. Despite the fear of an imminent attack, the US public health authorities decided to wait rather than buy readily available generics from outside the US.