FDA says IV fluid shortage from hurricane is over

Axios

2 days ago

The nationwide shortage of critical intravenous saline fluid triggered by Hurricane Helene is over, though some other injectable solutions remain in shortage almost a year after the storm, the Food and Drug Administration said.
Why it matters: The storm sent shudders through the health supply chain when it ravaged a huge Baxter International plant in North Carolina that makes IV fluids for many U.S. hospitals.
The FDA and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response lined up imports from Europe and Asia and expanded manufacturing capacity elsewhere while production levels at the stricken plant were gradually restored.
State of play: FDA commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement on Friday that sodium chloride 0.9% injection products have been removed from the agency's list of current shortages.
Companies including Fresenius and B. Braun Medical built up production during Baxter's downtime, HealthExec reported. For other IV fluids still in shortage, the FDA is working closely with manufacturers and monitoring the supply to ensure patients have access, Makary said.
Saline, dextrose and sterile water fluids are widely used in hospitals to administer drugs like chemotherapies, treat infections and keep patients hydrated.
Catch up quick: IV fluids and other sterile injectables were already experiencing tight supplies before Hurricane Helene hit in late September 2024.
Baxter's North Cove, North Carolina, manufacturing site produced more than half of the domestic supply of IV fluids to hospitals. Flooding there forced providers nationwide to find workarounds like reviewing patients receiving infusions to see if there are alternate treatments or giving some Gatorade or water instead of IVs.